Pokemon: Adventures in Alola
by ZachaRicO
Summary: Ash and his mom are going on vacation in the Alola region! Joined by his girlfriend May and Professor Oak's cousin/Alolan form, Ash embarks on a different kind of adventure as he discovers the secrets and amazing new Pokemon of Alola! Contains Advanceshipping
1. Chapter P-1: The Happy Arrivals

**Hurray! Pokemon Sun & Moon are less than three weeks away! So let's start a new story/series!**

 **In this story, Ash is wearing a fanmade Alolan outfit made by Alexalan on DeviantArt, and May is wearing a fanmade outfit made by haruharukaspring on DeviantArt.**

 **Okay, I think that's all you need to know right now. Let's GO!**

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Chapter P-1: The Happy Arrivals

A small boat slowly glided up to the Hau'oli City marina, parking itself by the dock. As soon as its motor stopped running, a small commotion could be heard from within its cabin. After a moment, however, a young man rushed out with a backpack half-slung over his shoulder, a wide grin on his face, and a small yellow Pokemon on his shoulder. He wore a blue and white striped collared shirt over a black t-shirt as well as black, fingerless gloves with red cuffs. He wore dark black pants with large, red semi-semicircular pockets. A colorful pair of black shoes adorned his feet. Most prominently, however, his wild raven hair was covered by a red and black cap with a white insignia on the front.

In his excitement, he leapt straight from the boat to the dock and threw his fists into the air, as though triumphant, and let out a shout:

"HELLOOOOOOOOOOO, MELEMELE ISLAND!"

" _Pi-Pikachu!_ "

Unfortunately, there was no one nearby to hear his very enthusiastic greeting. Judging by his undeterred excitement, however, I think it's safe to say that didn't bother him too much.

After a moment, someone else emerged from the boat: a young woman with long brown hair that cascaded down to her waist. She wore a short, red skirt, black stockings, and black and white sneakers, as well as dark fingerless gloves with white and red cuffs, similar to the young man's. She wore a dark tank top and a pink vest over her torso.

"Really, Ash?" she rolled her eyes in mild annoyance. "Do you really have to tell the whole world that we just arrived in the Alola region?"

"Sorry, May," the young man, Ash, shrugged in apology. "I guess I'm just a little too excited."

" _Chaaaaa_ ," Pikachu agreed, scratching its head with its paw in embarrassment.

The girl, May, just smiled, closed her eyes, and shook her head. "Even at the age of eighteen, you're still such a kid at heart."

"Well, that's just the way my boy is!" a third voice said. They turned and saw another woman with auburn hair step off the boat, suitcase in hand. Although she was a middle-aged woman, she had aged remarkably well. "Still a kid, even at the age of eighteen."

"Yeah, well don't go thinking you can still treat me like one, Mom," Ash winked at her. "I've heard how teenagers behave to their parents when they get too clingy."

"Oh, don't worry," Ash's mother, Delia, said as she walked up to her son. "You've been able to take care of yourself since you were ten. I won't be a bother." She then started to walk past him, but as she passed by, she leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Just don't forget to change your underwear."

"MOOOOOOOOM!" Ash shouted, exasperated as she walked away. May and Pikachu bust out laughing; even though they didn't hear what Delia said, they could tell what it was just based on Ash's reaction.

"You know she does that because she loves you, right?" May winked at him.

"Yeah," Ash mumbled with an adorable pouty face.

"Oh, and Ash!" his mother called. "Could you please help Samson get all the luggage off the boat? I'm going to reserve a spot for us at the hotel."

"Oh, yeah sure!" he replied, regaining his usual demeanor. "Wait a minute," he blinked as he realized what she said, "the hotel? I thought we were renting a condo."

" _Pi?_ " Pikachu blinked as well.

"Come on, Ash," May said. "I don't think your mom asked you to stand around, did she?"

"Oh, yeah. Right," Ash said. They walked back onto the boat, where they met Samson Oak and helped him carry the luggage. Thankfully, there wasn't much. Unsurprisingly, Ash's suitcase was the heaviest piece. Carrying this along with his mother's suitcase led to him stumbling around the marina in an amusing, slapstick manner. After stumbling around like so for a few minutes, our heroes reached the hotel where Delia went to. May and Samson Oak walked in with smiles...just before Ash barged in and toppled over onto the floor with a loud thud, the suitcases on top of him.

"Ash!" May exclaimed. "Are you okay?"

"Owwwww," Ash moaned.

" _Pika_ ," Pikachu moaned likewise.

"Oh, dear," Delia, who was speaking with the receptionist, said to herself when she saw her son. She turned back to the receptionist. "I apologize for my son. He can be a bit of a...erm...klutz."

"Thanks Mom, love you too," Ash grumbled, still buried under the suitcases. May just chuckled. "Some girlfriend you are, May!" Ash yelled, sounding annoyed. "Help me up, will ya?"

"Sorry," May giggled, pulling him out from under the suitcases. "You're just really silly, that's all."

"I know," Ash chuckled, putting a hand behind his head as he sweatdropped. "You don't have to remind me."

" _Chaaaaa._ "

Delia walked up to them a moment later with a smile. "Well, I've reserved our room for the night," she said. "So, what do you guys want to do today?"

"Hm," May thought, putting her finger on her chin as though pondering. "Why don't we –"

"Wait a sec," Ash interrupted. "Before we do anything, Mom, what happened to that condo we were going to rent?"

"Hm?"

"You said we were renting a condo out here for vacation," he explained. "What happened to that?"

"Oh, that!" Delia said. "Yes, we're still going to rent a condo. But there was some miscommunication on my end, so we can't go there quite yet. We'll stay in the hotel until we can clear that up."

"Oh, okay," Ash grinned. "Thanks, Mom!"

"Excuse me, Mrs. Ketchum?"

Delia turned and saw the receptionist coming up to her with slight disapproval in his eyes. "What is it?"

"Your payment method is corrupted."

"What?" she blinked in surprise. "But that's impossible. I just renewed it!"

"You sure?" he said. "Our cash register is saying pretty clearly that it's corrupted."

"Oh, dear," she moaned. She turned to Ash and May. "This might take a while. Will you two be fine on your own?"

"Of course we will!" May grinned.

"Oh," Delia moaned again. "Our first day of vacation, and I have to spend it straightening things out. I'm sorry, Ash. I know we wanted to spend vacation together, but –"

"Hey, it's fine, Mom," Ash replied with a smile. "We'll have plenty of time together out here. Besides, May and I still need to take our Pokemon to the Pokemon Center, right May?"

"Right!" she nodded. "Those lousy Remoraid that attacked us on the way here caused a lot of trouble!"

He turned back to his mother. "We'll be back by dinner, okay?"

"Okay," she smiled. With that, the two young adults quickly walked out of the hotel. "Have fun, you two!" Delia called after them as they walked out.

"We will!" he called back, as did Pikachu. Then they were gone.

"Ah, the fire of youth," Samson smiled as he watched them leave. "Pity it's wasted on the young."

Delia just chuckled.

* * *

 **If you're wondering what Samson Oak sounds like...just make him sound like Sean Connery. That's what I do.**

 **What did you think? Feel free to rate and review, but no flames please!**


	2. Chapter P-2: Battle Bone-Up

**"Bone Up: Intransitive verb:** **to renew one's skill or refresh one's memory." - Merriam Webster (I have a hard time believing this expression _isn't_ informal)**

 **Any guesses as to who shows up in this chapter?**

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Chapter P-2: Battle Bone-Up

Ash and May walked out to the street and looked around for a moment. "So," Ash mused. "What do we do now?"

"I don't know," May shrugged, hands on her hips. Then their stomachs growled at the same time. They glanced at each other, then simultaneously sweatdropped. "Well, I guess our stomachs answered our question for us."

"Yeah," Ash chuckled. He looked back at her. "I wonder what kind of food shops are in town."

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu agreed, thinking of ketchup.

"Think they have any noodles?" May said. Her eyes suddenly sparkled at the thought of Alolan noodles.

"I'm sure they have ramen to spare," Ash grinned. "Come on! Let's look around!"

"Hold it right there, yo!"

"Huh?" The two of them blinked. They turned and saw two men dressed like thugs standing not far off from them. "Who are you?" Ash said.

" _Pika?_ "

"Yo!" one of the men said, pointing at Ash. "I never seen you here before! Were you flew here or were you grew here?"

Ash blinked, confused. "What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

The men didn't answer. Instead, they started walking forward, making weird, punk-like gestures as they went. It almost looked silly...except these men looked like they meant business.

"You from some place far away?" one of them asked. "Got any rare Pokemon? Well? Do ya?"

Now that the men were closer to them, they got a better look at their attire. They were dressed primarily in black tank-tops, with white hats on their heads. Two black spots adorned these hats, so that they looked like skulls. They wore bling with a strange insignia that looked like an 's' designed in the same manner as a skull. They wore black and white bandanas over their faces, white sneakers, and a black and white armband on one of their wrists.

Again, Ash blinked in confusion, but he looked more skeptical now. "Who are you?" he asked, quietly putting a hand on a Pokeball on his belt in case trouble was about to ensue. "What do you want?"

"These guys look like bad news," May said, also putting a hand on her Pokeball.

One of the men chuckled loudly at that. "Oh, we're not bad...we're just hard! We're just a bunch of guys and dolls with a _great_ interest in other people's Pokemon!"

"In other words," the other man shrugged, "you wanna give us your Pokemon?"

"No way!" Ash retorted. "I'm not just gonna give my Pokemon away to some strangers!"

" _Pika!_ " Pikachu agreed.

"Pokemon are our friends," May agreed. "We're supposed to protect them. And if you ask me, you look like people who we need to protect them from!"

"Oho," one of the thugs sneered at her. "Feisty, are we? I like that."

"So you're not gonna hand over your Pokemon, eh?" the other thug said. Then he started erratically performing more thug gestures. "Then I guess we're just gonna hafta take 'em!" They continued performing erratic gestures until they stopped in the same "bring-it" pose.

"So it's a battle you want, huh?" Ash grinned, pulling out his Pokeball. "All right, then. It's been a while since I've been in a real battle, and I'm sure there are plenty of trainers in Alola to take on. I guess I'll warm up with you guys!"

"Count me in," May said, stepping forward with her own Pokeball. "After sleeping on the job for a month, it's about time I get back in the habit of regular training. This'll be a great first session!"

"C'mon, Yungoos!" one of the thugs shouted. "Let's get us some rare Pokemon!" He threw a Pokeball and released a mongoose-like Pokemon with a scowl and a...uh...hairdo. The other thug imitated him, releasing the same Pokemon.

"Wow!" Ash exclaimed. "What are those Pokemon?"

"Ash, focus!" May chided him. "We'll have time to check these Pokemon out later."

"Right, right," Ash nodded, getting into position. "Ready when you are, May."

"Then watch this," she grinned, raising her Pokeball. "Blaziken, take the stage!" She tossed it into the air and, with a miniature fireworks display, released her signature Pokemon, which landed on its feet in a kneeling position and slowly stood up, staring down the thugs with a condescending gaze.

" _Blazzzzz_ ," it said.

"YO!" one of the thugs exclaimed. "Bro, are you seeing this?!"

"Yeah, whatever," the other thug rolled his eyes sarcastically. "You're cute, girl. Let's hang out sometime."

"Sorry," May smirked with a flip of her hair. "I'm already taken."

"Greninja!" Ash shouted. "I choose you!" He threw his Pokeball into the air and released his signature Kalosian Pokemon. Greninja looked at the thugs with the same look its trainer was giving them.

" _Nin-ja_ ," it said.

"Yo, this kid's got a Greninja!" the second thug said excitedly. "This'll be a great haul for Team Skull!"

"Don't think it'll be that easy!" Ash grinned, adjusting his hat slightly. "Greninja! Use Water Shuriken!"

" _Nin-ja!_ " Greninja cried, jumping into the air and releasing several small shurikens that homed in on the Yungoos. The two Pokemon ran around in a panic as the shurikens swiftly overtook them and struck them.

"Yungoos! Use Bite!" one of the grunts shouted.

"Yeah, you too, Yungoos!" the other one yelled as well.

The two Yungoos looked at each other in confusion, then ran at Greninja, fangs bared.

"That won't do!" May grinned. "Blaziken! Use Fire Spin on Greninja!"

"Huh?" one of the grunts blinked. "She's attacking her own teammate?"

"Ha! Stupid girl," the other one grinned. "She's gonna make this easier on us!"

Blaziken leapt into the air and shot a Fire Spin attack at Greninja from above, surrounding it in a fiery veil. Just as the Yungoos were about to attack the frog ninja, they ran into the fiery veil...and promptly ran out of it, painfully shrieking.

"WA-augh!?" the thugs exclaimed.

"Now, Greninja!" Ash shouted. "Use Night Slash!"

"Night Slash?" May blinked.

Greninja leapt up, opening its palm as a blade of dark energy formed. Then it grasped the blade and slashed through the Yungoos, knocking them into the air. Then they fell at their trainers' feet, their eyes turned into swirls.

"WHA –?!" one of the thugs exclaimed, doing his thug jig again. "How'd we get beat so fast?!"

"These kids are way to strong – no bones about it!" the other said, equally shocked and doing the same jig.

"Hmph!" the other grumbled, still jigging. "Fine! We'll leave you alone for now, but don't forget: we got a bone to pick wit' you. We're gonna tell our big sis about you, so don't you forget it!"

With that, the two thugs ran away, leaving Ash and May standing there with their Pokemon.

"Big sis?" May repeated. "As in, there's more of them?"

"Don't worry," Ash grinned, adjusting his hat. "If they come back, we'll stomp 'em flat again." He turned to Greninja. "Nice work, Greninja. We didn't even break a sweat!"

"Way to go, Blaziken," May said likewise to her Pokemon. Then they recalled their Pokemon and continued their walk to the Center.

"That was an impressive strategy on your end," Ash complimented her. "Surrounding Greninja with a Fire Spin to protect him? I never would've thought of that."

"You seem to forget that I'm technically a Pokemon Coordinator," May winked at him. "Coordinators have to think defensively to win in battle. Plus, we're more about beauty than raw power."

"No arguing that point," he grinned. "I guess our differing strategies complement each other really well. We make a great team."

"We always have," she agreed. "And given our track record, I think it's safe to say that we always will."

" _Pikachu_."

"Yup," he nodded as they walked up to the Pokemon Center. "Now let's give our Pokemon a rest."

"Let's do that," May said as they walked in.


	3. Chapter P-3: Exploring Hau'oli City

**Update 11/8/16: I fixed the dialogue in the Pokemon Center slightly.**

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Chapter P-3: Exploring Hau'oli City

"Hey, Ash?" May said as they sat in the Pokemon Center.

"Yeah," he replied, taking a bite out of a chocolate bar he bought from the snack stand.

"When did Greninja learn Night Slash?" she asked. "I've never seen him use that move before."

"Not too long ago, actually," Ash said. "Since I spent last month at home, I had a lot of time to train with my Pokemon. I spent a bit of time training with Greninja then, and we uncovered that technique when I had him use Cut once."

"Wow," May smiled brightly, but after a moment it became a bit more sad. "I guess you guys have been working hard...and getting ahead of me."

She sighed deeply and leaned forward on the table, looking down and fiddling with her hands. Ash's smile faded as his expression mirrored hers, and he put his hand on top of hers. "May?" he said. "Are you okay?"

"I...I think so," she said softly. "I just feel like I missed out on so much last month. An entire month of my life is gone, wasted: I'm never getting it back."

He looked at her compassionately and squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry," he said. "I suppose it's partly my fault."

"Don't say that," she said sharply, jerking her head up to look at him. "You did nothing wrong. Neither of us could have seen it coming."

"Uh," Ash said, surprised at her abruptness, "yeah, I...guess you're right." She sighed and looked down again. Ash squeezed her hand again. "Look, May...you're not alone. I know what it's like to fall into a coma like you did, so I know how you feel. But I also know that if we focus only on what we don't have in life, we'll never be able to appreciate what we do have. So you lost a month of your life, and I lost a week of mine. That stinks. But we've got dozens more to experience. Are we going to spend them all brooding over the days we lost? Or are we going to make the most of them like we would have made the most of what we lost?"

The two of them were silent for a moment. Then May looked up with a small smile. Her eyes glistened as they gazed into his warm, caring eyes, which had taken on an auburn hue. He, meanwhile, gazed deep into her sapphire pools. Once again, he felt like he was being hypnotized by those deep blue eyes: eyes full of kindness, compassion, and love. He loosened his grasp on her hand and now gently stroked it. She turned it over and gently grasped his hand. Their fingers locked together, as though in an embrace.

"Excuse me."

"Hm?" they said, coming out of their trance and looking up to see Nurse Joy standing over them. They still held each other's hand, though

"Your Pokemon are all rested up," she informed them, returning their Pokeballs to them.

"Thank you, Nurse Joy," Ash replied softly with a smile. With that, Nurse Joy returned to her position at the counter. "So, you still down for some noodles?" he turned back to May.

"Sure," she nodded. They stood up together, still holding hands. Ash was about to walk out, but May stopped him with a small tug. When she was sure she had his attention, she said, "Thanks for what you said back there. It really puts things into perspective."

"Well, that's what I'm here for," he winked. She giggled, then abruptly let go of his hand and pulled him into a tight hug. Ash barely flinched and was quick to reciprocate. The two of them took a deep breath and exhaled quietly as they enjoyed the embrace. He stroked her long hair, smoothing out some wrinkles in the process, and inhaled her perfume while closing his eyes. She, meanwhile, softly clutched his shirt and rested her head on his shoulder.

After a moment, Ash felt something soft on his cheek. His eyes shot open in confusion, but he smiled as he realized what it was. May pulled away from his cheek and opened her eyes. She gave him a shy smile and blushed slightly as they broke their embrace.

Then her stomach growled.

"Let's go get some food," she suggested.

"Sounds like a plan," he agreed.

They walked out of the Pokemon Center and, after exploring the town a little, came across a malsalada shop. It wasn't serving any full meals right now, but they were giving out samples. Apparently, the shop was undergoing renovations. Despite the small sampling of food, it was satisfactory.

"These are pretty good," May say as she munched on one while walking back down the street. "They're really fluffy on the inside."

"And crispy on the outside," Ash agreed, biting into one. "Just like they advertise them."

" _Pikachu!_ " Pikachu chimed in, happily nibbling on a small bite of malsalada.

"I'm sure Pikachu will love them even more when the shop reopens," Ash chuckled. "After all, what's a malsalada without ketchup? Whataya say, buddy?"

" _Pika!_ " Pikachu agreed, nuzzling him. They chuckled.

"Enjoying malsalada, you two?"

The three of them looked up in response to the sudden voice. A tall, tan man in an open white lab coat stood before them. He wore a white cap similar to Ash's and a pair of shades He also wore casual gray shorts and green crocs. His open lab coat revealed that he wasn't wearing a shirt, revealing a solid, toned chest that probably made every girl he met swoon.

"Oh...yeah, sure!" Ash nodded in response.

The man looked at them curiously. "You're a bunch of new faces, aren't you?" he said. His voice had a Jamaican punch to it. "Where you from?"

"I'm Ash," Ash replied. "I'm from Pallet Town in Kanto."

"And I'm May," May said. "I'm from Petalburg City in Hoenn."

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu said as well.

"Kanto and Hoenn?" the man blinked in surprise, then smiled jovially. "Well, that's a new one!"

"Huh?" the two young adults said.

"We get tourists from Kanto and Hoenn on a regular basis," he explained, "but I've never seen two people from those regions together like I see you two now."

"Well, it's a long story," Ash shrugged.

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu agreed.

"So who are you?" May asked.

The man smiled and extended a hand. "Nice to meet you, Ash and May. The name's Kukui. I hope we can be friends!"

"Nice to meet you too, Kukui!" May grinned.

"Say, are you the professor here in Alola?" Ash asked, pointing at his coat.

"That's right!" Kukui nodded.

"What's your area of expertise?" May asked. "You look like the outdoorsy type."

"Outdoorsy?" Ash blinked. "Is that a new type of Pokemon here in Alola?" Pikachu facepalmed.

"I research Pokemon moves," Kukui replied. "I let myself get hit with all kinds of moves so I can test their power."

"Really?" May said in surprise. "Doesn't that hurt?"

"Hey, are you lookin' at me right now?" Kukui grinned, slapping his toned chest. "I can take a hit, no problem!"

"He does look pretty sturdy," Ash agreed, then looked at him with a challenging gaze. "But can you take a hit from Pikachu?"

" _Pikachu_!" Pikachu grinned.

"Eh?" Kukui blinked in surprise. "You wanna test your Pokemon's moves out on me?"

"Nah, I was just kidding," Ash replied, adjusting his hat as he spoke. "I just got all warmed up with a battle against these guys dressed like thugs, so I'm all riled up right now."

Kukui grinned as he heard what Ash was saying. "So you're lookin' for a challenge, eh?" He chuckled. "I like that! Whataya say to taking on a trial to make yourself stronger, Ash?"

"Sounds like fun!" the trainer eagerly agreed. "Let's go!"

"Huh?" May said. "What's a trial?"

Kukui chuckled. "You seem like quite the trainer, Ash: you're already ready to take on a training challenge even before you know what it is. I respect that! You're just like a Machamp using a Focus Blast!"

Ash blinked in confusion at that. Before he could ask what the professor meant, however, May stepped forward. "Excuse me, Professor," she said, "but what's a trial?"

"Trials are a custom here in the Alola region," he explained. "Young boys and girls go through them to get stronger as trainers and to strengthen their bonds with their Pokemon."

"That sounds great!" Ash said, pumping his fist. Then he turned to May with a smile. "Whataya say, May. Wanna take on a trial?"

"Sounds like fun!" May mirrored him. "But what about your mom? Will she and Professor Oak be kept waiting?"

"Oh, yeah," Ash said, stroking his chin with his fingers as he remembered. "I almost forgot about them. Uh...how long is the trial, Professor?"

"That depends on how well you go through with it. But I think this trial should be fairly easy for you."

"Then let's do it!" May nodded. "Lead the way!"

"All right, then," Kukui grinned. "Follow me to Ten Carat Hill!" With that, the threesome set off on a new adventure.

"This should be fun, shouldn't it, Pikachu?"

" _Pikachu_!"

* * *

 **If you're confused about how Professor Kukui's voice sounds, go look up Tom Fawkes' playthrough of the demo on Youtube. That's the voice I'm envisioning for Kukui.**


	4. Chapter P-4: The Preliminary Trial

**I suggest rereading the first part of the last chapter, as I fixed a mistake I made. Then again, that might be a lot to ask for, since this chapter is significantly longer than the previous ones. But I think you'll enjoy it!**

* * *

Chapter P-4: The Preliminary Trial

Ten Carat Hill was a small, beachside meadow with an atmosphere that was at once calming and invigorating. Ash couldn't describe it, but walking through the grass made his heart beat with excitement as he eagerly looked around. "I wonder what kind of Pokemon are out here," he said mostly to himself, though his companions heard him.

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu agreed.

"I'm glad you asked, Ash," Professor Kukui grinned, turning back to him briefly. "At the trial site, there are actually some Dragon-type Pokemon."

"Really?" Ash said, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Yeah, but they're hard to find," Kukui explained.

"I hope they're cute," May said. "Maybe we can go looking for them after the trial."

"I have a better idea," Kukui said as they stopped in front of a small cave. "You can go looking for them...because that _is_ the trial!"

"Huh?" Ash and May blinked at the same time.

"Like I said before," the professor went on, "this should be fairly easy for you: it's a beginner-level trial. All you gotta do is photograph the four Pokemon you can find in this cave, yeah!"

Ash and May looked at each other, each with an eyebrow raised. Then they looked back at the professor. "That's it?" Ash asked.

" _Pika?_ "

"Yup!" the professor nodded. "Here," he said, handing him a strange red device. "Use this Poke Finder to get the job done."

"Oh...okay," Ash said, recovering his usual demeanor as his confusion wore off. "Photographing new Pokemon? This should be fun."

"All right, let's go!" May grinned. With that, they walked into the cave, unaware of an all too familiar threesome following quietly at a safe distance, and the trial began.

Almost immediately, Ash heard a skittering behind some rocks. He gasped and quickly ran over to the rocks. There, he found a tiny, scaly Pokemon looking around, its back turned to him. He eagerly held up the Poke Finder aimed it at the adorable little Pokemon, and pressed a button.

"I think I got it!" he whispered, turning around to inspect his gadget. May ran over to look at it as well.

" _Hrm?!_ " the Pokemon jumped on hearing the Poke Finder click. It whirled around and ran at the unsuspecting trainers. Pikachu looked up and saw the little Pokemon leaping up to pounce on Ash.

" _Pikapi!_ " he cried, leaping up and delivering a swift Iron Tail to the little Pokemon's face. It immediately fell to the ground and slumped over, fainted.

"Huh?!" Ash said, whirling around. He saw the fainted Pokemon, and Pikachu quickly scampered up his shoulder. "What happened?"

"Oh, yeah," Kukui said, sweatdropping. "I almost forgot. When you take a picture of Jangmo-o, it'll get startled and attack you."

"Oh," Ash said. "Well, that would've been nice to know."

"And like I said before," the professor went on, "they're Dragon-type, so they're pretty tough, yeah. But seeing how your Pikachu knocked this one out in one hit, I don't think you'll have too much trouble!"

"Aw, the poor thing," May said as she looked at the unconscious Jangmo-o. "Should we get it to the Pokemon Center?"

"Nah, don't worry," Kukui replied. "They always recover on their own. I've never had to take them to the Pokemon Center."

"Okay," May said uncertainly as she looked at it lying unconscious. She smiled slightly. "It's really cute. Almost makes me want to catch it."

"Well, we can do that later," Ash replied. "There are still three other Pokemon to find!"

" _Pikachu_!" Pikachu agreed.

"Have fun, you two!" Kukui cheered.

Ash and May nodded and eagerly ventured deeper into the cave. "Stay alert, May," Ash said. "Another Jangmo-o should be close by."

May looked into a hole in the wall and quietly gasped. "Ash!" she whispered. "Over here!"

Ash rushed over to her and saw a Jangmo-o strutting by without a care in the world. May's hands covered her mouth as her eyes sparkled at the sight. "Look at him," she whispered, careful not to scare the creature. "He's so cute!"

"Well I _was_ gonna let you take a picture of this one, but I guess you're a little too caught up in the moment," Ash sweatdropped as he pulled out the Poke Finder. "Here, I got this."

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu grinned.

Ash carefully aimed the device so the Pokemon was at the center, then snapped a shot. Predictably, just as Kukui said, Jangmo-o jumped in surprise, then rushed forward while growling cutely and jumped at them. Pikachu used Quick Attack to knock it off its course. It rammed into a wall, allowing Pikachu to slam it from behind with Iron Tail, effectively knocking it out.

"That almost worked too well," Ash mumbled, scratching his chin. "I don't like attacking from behind unless it's practical, and that did _not_ feel practical at all."

"What did it feel like then?" May asked, confused.

"It felt too easy, that's what," he replied. "These Jangmo-o don't stand a chance against Pikachu. If we're gonna knock them out, I prefer to do so in a way that's fair to them."

"Are you just talking for the sake of talking?" May said, putting her hands on her hips and glaring playfully at him.

Ash shrugged sheepishly. "I guess I might be," he said. "Still and all, you know what I mean, right?"

"Yeah," May said, looking back at the unconscious Pokemon. "I still feel bad for them, though. They're so cute!"

"They sure are," Ash agreed.

" _Pikachu_." That was when they heard a strange growl from deeper in the cave.

"That must be another Pokemon!" May said.

"Let's go!" Ash agreed, and they continued their trek through the cave. They found another hole in the wall. A larger but similar-looking Pokemon to Jangmo-o was running in circles in there. "Okay, here we go," he said quietly, raising up the Poke Finder. After waiting for the perfect shot, he snapped the picture. The startled Pokemon glared at him and charged, leaping through the wall right over him.

"Yikes!" May cried, ducking.

"Pikachu! Use Iron Tail!" Ash commanded.

" _Chuuuuu, Pika_!" Pikachu growled, leaping up and slamming its metallic tail against the large Pokemon's head. Pikachu landed on the ground, then the Pokemon swiped its tail at him, knocking him to the side. Pikachu quickly got back up and charged at the larger Pokemon using Quick Attack, then leapt back up and slammed it again with Iron Tail. The Pokemon clutched its head for a moment, then collapsed, defeated.

"Nice work, Pikachu," Ash grinned. "You all right?"

" _Pika!_ " Pikachu grinned, giving him a cute thumbs-up with its paw.

"Okay, let's go," May said as Pikachu climbed back up on his trainer's shoulder. "Professor Kukui said there's one more Pokemon out here."

"I'm guessing it's outside," Ash said, pointing to an exit not far off. They quickly ran out and found the last Pokemon. It was the same as the one they just beat, but it was standing still in the field, almost regal in its posture. "Okay, here we go, now," he said, quietly creeping near it. Then he took the picture.

The Pokemon glared at him, startled as usual. However, the glare in this particular Pokemon's eyes was fiercer than the others. It stomped up to the trainers until it towered over them and roared in their faces.

"Augh!" May cried.

"Don't worry, May," Ash said, putting his arm out in front of her to protect her. "We can handle this."

"I know," she said. "His breath just smells awful, that's all!"

Ash and Pikachu looked at each other for a moment and then sweatdropped. "Okay, Pikachu, let's go!"

" _Pika_!" Pikachu said, leaping off his trainer's shoulder and getting into a battle-ready stance. The Pokemon, Hakamo-o, was suddenly surrounded by an energy flare. Then, in a brief but blinding flash of light, it became engulfed in a strange energy.

Ash's eyes widened. "That energy! It's – UH!" He suddenly clutched his head with his hand as though in pain.

"Ash!" May cried, running up and putting a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Ugh...yeah, I'm fine," he said, shaking himself off. "It's just...that Pokemon's aura…"

" _HAKA-KAAAA_!" Hakamo-o suddenly shrieked, running at Pikachu. Instinctively, Pikachu unleashed a powerful bolt of energy to repel it. But when the dust cleared, the Pokemon was hardly even fazed and continued on as if nothing happened.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried. "Use Quick Attack! We'll make this a contest of speed!"

" _Pika_!" Pikachu agreed, jumping about to avoid Hakamo-o's rampage. It managed to ram into the larger Pokemon several times, causing significant damage.

"Nice!" Ash grinned. "Now this battle's even!"

As if to taunt him, a ray of light suddenly shot down from the sky. When it faded, a small puppy-like Pokemon had appeared. It glared at Pikachu cutely, but it was clear that it wasn't here to make friends.

"AWWWWWW!" May squealed at the sight. "IT'S A PUPPY!"

"Melemele-me and my big fat mouth," Ash said, falling over.

" _Ruff! Ruff!_ " The puppy Pokemon charged at Pikachu, teeth bared. Pikachu was swift to retaliate, using Iron Tail to swat it back. The strategy proved surprisingly effective, as the Pokemon was instantly knocked out.

"Huh," Ash said. "Must be a Rock type."

"Ash! May!"

"Huh?" the two of them said. They saw Professor Kukui running up behind them, out of breath. "What is it?" May asked.

"After you left me in the cave, something knocked me out. Next thing I hear is the shrieks of Pokemon. The Jangmo-o and Hakomo-o are gone!"

"What?!" Ash cried.

" _Haka! Haka-ka!_ " the Hakamo-o in front of them glared at Ash and May as though to blame them.

"Huh?" May said as the Pokemon glared at her. "No, we didn't take them!" she said. "We knocked them out, but we didn't take them!"

"But who would've –" Professor Kukui started, but before he could finished, a sudden energy blast from above struck him in the chest. "AUGH!" he cried, falling onto his back, unconscious.

"Professor!" Ash cried, running up to him. He saw that a mysterious silver bracelet and a golden stone had fallen off of him from the attack. "Huh?" he said, picking them up. "What are these? They look like Mega –"

" _PIKAPI_!" Pikachu cried.

" _HAKA-KA-KAAAAAA_!"

"What?!" Ash exclaimed, whirling back around. "Gah! Pikachu!"

Pikachu was caught in a cage, as was Hakamo-o! Hakamo-o tried to break free, but the cage, made of energy, paralyzed him in place.

"What's going on here?!" May shouted.

"Prepare for trouble, no matter what the cost!"

"Make it double, it's Paradise Lost!"

"To protect the world from devastation."

"To unite all peoples within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of truth and love."

"To extend our reach to the stars above."

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket's blasting off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight fight fight!"

" _Meowth_ , that's right!"

" _Woooooobbuffet_!"

Ash and May watched as an all-too familiar threesome appeared in front of them, donning their signature white outfits with red 'Rs' plastered on the front. "It's Team Rocket!" they cried in unison. "What are you guys doing here?!" May shouted.

"What do you think we're doing?" Jessie, the fiery magenta-head sneered. "We're Team Rocket, silly twerp."

"We're doing what we're always doing," the lavender-haired James grinned.

"Stealing Pokemon's what we're doing!" their talking Meowth cheered. "Whether it's Pikachu or these new guys!" He held up a net containing the two Jangmo-o, and they revealed a cage holding the other Hakamo-o hostage.

"You let those Pokemon go right now!" Ash shouted. "And gimme back my Pikachu!"

"Not so fast, twerp," Meowth put his paw out casually as though negotiating a business deal. "Haven't ya learned? We don't give your Pokemon back even if you say pretty-please-with-a-cherry-on-top. Sorry, but these Pokemon are ours! Besides," he went on, looking at the frightened Jangmo-o with an endearing look as he clasped his paws, "why would I want to get rid of these guys? They're just the most adorable little Pokemon I've ever seen!"

"Aren't they?" May agreed, clasping her hands and mirroring him as she tiptoed up to them. "If I had any Pokeballs on me, I would've caught one!"

"Really, May?" Ash said in a deadpan voice. "This isn't helping, you know.

"They truly are adorable," Jessie agreed, imitating them as well. "It almost makes me want to let them go rather than give them to the boss."

"Perhaps we can keep one?" James said, also imitating them.

"They're so cute, they make me wanna hold 'em and squeeze 'em!" Meowth grinned.

"Here," May said, picking one of the Jangmo-o up. "Go ahead. Hold him!"

"Aw, ya mean it twerp?" Meowth said, his cat eyes turning into puppy eyes for a moment. Then he ripped the Pokemon out of her hands and started squeezing it. "Aw, thank you! He's so cute and cuddly and – HEY, WAIT A SEC! HOW'D HE GET OUTTA THE NET?!"

"GAAHHHH!" Jessie and James cried when they saw the Pokemon freed from the ripped – no, _cut!_ – net.

"While you guys were so busy fawning over how cute they were," May said with a flip of her hair, "I went ahead and used my pocket knife to cut the net open and free them! You really should pay more attention, you know?"

"Why, you little twerpette!" Jessie growled.

"You tricked us?!" James exclaimed. "That's not fair!"

"Wow!" Ash exclaimed, amazed at May's quick thinking. "Way to go, May!" The freed Pokemon were quick to run away from the thieves and took shelter behind Ash, surprising the trainer slightly. Unseen by everyone else, Professor Kukui was starting to wake up.

"Fine!" Jessie growled. "You may have saved those Pokemon, but we still have Pikachu!"

"Not if I can help it!" Ash retorted, throwing his Pokeball. "Greninja, I choose you!"

The Pokeball released the powerful Water-type. " _Grenin_!" it said, then it saw Team Rocket. " _Gre?! Ninnnnnn_ ," it growled.

"Not the frog again," Meowth grumbled.

"Greninja!" Ash commanded. "Use Night Slash to free Pikachu and Hakamo-o!"

" _Niiiinnnnnnn–JA_!" Greninja cried, slashing the cages and breaking them open. Pikachu and Hakamo-o leapt out, with Pikachu leaping into Ash's arms.

"Are you okay, buddy?"

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu smiled.

"You dirty little twerp!" Jessie shouted at Ash. "Why are you always ruining our plans?"

"Why are _you_ always trying to steal Pokemon?!" Ash retorted.

"Because that's what we do!" Jessie snapped back. "And one day, whether you like it or not, we will get your Pikachu!"

"Same story, seventh chapter," May rolled her eyes with a smirk.

"Uh, guys?" James said, his eyes shrinking in fear. "I think we upset the local wildlife."

"Hm?" Jessie and Meowth looked and saw Hakamo-o glaring down at them, its aura still surrounding it. "Uh-oh," they all facefaulted in unison.

" _HAAAAAAAKAAAAAAAAAMOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_ " Hakamo-o roared, slamming them with its head and sending them soaring into the sky.

"So much for a relaxing vacation!" Jessie grumbled as they flew through the sky.

"Hey, last I checked, I was the one who said we should go to Akala Island instead of follow the twerps!" James shot back. "What's a vacation if you don't spend it doing nothing?"

"School!" Meowth shouted at him. "That's what it is!"

"WE'RE BLASTING OFF AGAINNNNNNNNNN!"

 _Ding._

"Whew!" Ash said, wiping his brow and recalling Greninja. "That could've been a lot worse."

"I'll say," May agreed.

"Woo! That was amazing, yeah!"

They turned and saw Professor Kukui walk up to them with a big grin. "You kids single-handedly took out those Pokemon thieves like it was nothing!"

"Heh! That was nothing," Ash grinned, adjusting his hat. "Team Rocket's been hounding us since the beginning of my journey, so I'm used to them showing up outta nowhere. Truthfully, May was the one who managed to beat them this time around."

"No sweat!" May agreed with another flip of her hair. "Of course, you do realize that you freed the Pokemon, and then Hakamo-o finished them off. I can't take all the credit."

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu agreed.

"True," Ash also agreed. "I guess I'm just impressed."

"So am I," said a new voice. Everyone turned and saw a young woman with pink and yellow hair and punk attire standing not far from them. She looked displeased. "I heard you took out my buddies here with little trouble. Seeing you in person, I can see why. I guess you look like a trainer who can get things done."

"That's right, that's him, big sis!" said a familiar voice. The two thugs from earlier strutted out, doing their thug jig.

"Aw, man!" Ash moaned.

"Not you guys again," May moaned as well.

" _Chaaaaaa_."


	5. Chapter P-5: The White Reason

**Hi, America! Trying to drown out your sorrow? Here: read this. It should help.**

* * *

Chapter P-5: The White Reason

Sensing a battle approaching, Ash put the bracelet he was holding on his wrist so it wouldn't distract him, clipping the small golden stone in the notch on the bracelet as well. It fit perfectly, something which intrigued him, but he didn't think much of it in the moment. "What do you thugs want?" he asked.

The punk girl looked him straight in the eye with a quietly fierce gaze. "I'm Plumeria," she said, "the Team Skull admin. Are you the kid with the Greninja?"

"Yes," Ash replied.

She snickered slightly. "You're actually kinda cute," she said. "Maybe I'll let you off the hook." She turned and started to walk away.

"WHAT?!" May said in unison with the thugs of Team Skull. "Sis, whataya doin?! You're not gonna get revenge for us?!" one of them exclaimed, doing his jig.

"This numskull beat us to a pulp!" the other exclaimed, doing the same jig. "You don't mean to walk out on us, do ya?! That's just adding insult to injury!"

Plumeria just smirked, then whirled back around in a battle-ready pose. "Leave this to me," she said to the thugs. "Settling the score for my cute little henchmen is part of my job. So if you wanna get outta this with as little trouble as possible, I suggest you apologize and surrender!"

"No way!" Ash retorted. "Your 'cute little henchmen' tried to steal our Pokemon. We're not gonna apologize for stopping them. If it's a battle you want, then let's go! Pikachu, I choose you!"

" _Pika!_ " Pikachu agreed, leaping off of his trainer's shoulder and getting into a battle-ready stance.

"Hmph," Plumeria smirked. "That's cute. This'll be a piece of cake. Come on out, Golbat!" She whipped out an Ultra Ball and tossed it, releasing the large bat Pokemon that for some reason was always associated with people who do evil.

" _Bat! Hrrrrgh_ ," it snarled as it came out, glaring at Pikachu.

"Looks like it's a one-on-one battle this time," May murmured. "Come on, Ash, you can beat her!"

"Yeah!" Ash grinned, though he was secretly surprised by the ferocity in his girlfriend's voice. _Maybe she's jealous? I wonder…_

"Golbat! Use Poison Fang!" Plumeria commanded. Golbat flew forward, fangs bared and glowing bright purple.

"Pikachu, dodge using Quick Attack!" Ash said. Pikachu obeyed, but Golbat was surprisingly fast and managed to snatch Pikachu's tail in hits jaws. It started carrying him around.

"Poison Fang will poison Pikachu if this keeps up," Professor Kukui said.

"That's no problem," Ash grinned. "Pikachu, use Iron Tail to get out of there!"

" _Chuuuuu_!" Pikachu said as his tail glowed with a steely light, freeing itself and nullifying the power of the poison. It landed on the ground and looked up at the aerial Golbat.

"All right!" Ash cheered.

"Hmph!" Plumeria grunted. "Golbat, Air Cutter!"

" _BAT!_ " Golbat shrieked, releasing a slicing Air Cutter that slammed into Pikachu. Despite the type disadvantage, Pikachu got hurt fairly badly and struggled for a moment to get back up.

"That attack shouldn't have hurt too badly," May said softly with a hint of concern.

"Golbat must be a little bit stronger than I thought," Ash agreed, holding his fist across his chest Unseen by him, the crystal in his bracelet started glowing. "Better make this quick! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" he commanded, extending his other arm to give the command.

Suddenly, a ton of energy started surging forth from Ash when he struck the pose he was in. "What?!" he cried in shock (no pun intended).

"Ash, what did you do?!" May cried, slightly scared.

Professor Kukui gasped. "My Z-Ring!"

The energy surging from Ash immediately entered Pikachu and surrounded him in an aura of power. Pikachu leapt up to deliver its signature move.

" _PIIIIIIKAAAAAAAA...CHUUUUUUUUUUUUU!_ " it screamed, unleashing more energy than anyone previously thought possible.

"HOLY –!?" Ash exclaimed, the second part of his exclamation getting drowned out by the sound of the surging energy. The superpowered Thunderbolt completely consumed Golbat in a brilliant explosion of energy. When the dust cleared, there was no question as to who won the battle.

But Ash, May, and Pikachu were still in shock. After a moment, Ash knelt down, breathing a bit more heavily than normal, while Plumeria recalled her Pokemon.

"Hmph," she said, unfazed in the slightest. "I guess I'll have to hold that loss." After a moment, Ash recovered and blinked, still kneeling. Then he looked up and, to his surprise, saw Plumeria extending her hand to him as though to help him up. He blinked in surprise, but he took the hand nonetheless. "So," she said, "what's your name, kid?"

"My name is –" he started, but then he stopped as he thought for a moment. _These thugs look like they're organized_ he thought. _If they know my name, it could put May, Mom, and Professor Oak in danger. I better play it safe._ "Sorry," he continued with a smirk, "but that information is on a need-to-know basis."

Plumeria chuckled slightly, although it was genuine. "You're quite the trainer, Mr. Need-To-Know-Basis." Her smirk faded as she looked more serious. "You won't get off so easy next time, though." Her smile became a bit more mischievous. "And believe me, I'm really looking forward to that." With that, she turned around and walked away.

One of the thugs shrugged in disappointment. "Yo, didn't you just get to Alola?" he asked. "You better be thankful our sis took it easy on you."

The other one turned and ran after Plumeria, calling for her to wait up. The first thug followed, doing his jig again.

"I don't like her," May said curtly, her eye twitching.

"She's an odd one," Ash agreed.

" _Pika_ ," Pikachu said quietly.

"Ash, what did you do back there?" she asked, walking up to him. "It looked like it made you tired. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said. "But it was really weird. For a split second, I felt like my energy was synchronizing with Pikachu's energy, and then he used that superpowered Thunderbolt. What was that?"

"You used a Z-Move, Ash."

They turned to Professor Kukui, intrigued. "A Z-Move?" Ash repeated.

"Yup! Since you had my Z-Ring on, along with the Electrium Z, your Pikachu was able to use Z-Power and unleash an ultra-powerful Z-Move, yeah."

"Wow," Ash smiled, looking at Kukui's bracelet. "So that's what this is. You dropped it when Team Rocket attacked. You want it back?"

"You can keep it if you want," Kukui said. "Usually, I don't give a Z-Ring to just anyone who hasn't fulfilled the conditions for earning one, but I think you've proven your worth."

"You sure?" Ash asked. "I mean, if you want it back –"

"No," the professor shook his head. "Keep it, Ash. It's yours, now."

Ash blinked, then smiled. "Thanks, Professor." He started doing a pose. "All right!" he cheered. "I got a Z-Ring!"

" _Pi-Pikachu!_ "

"Hey, Ash," May said, "I get you're excited, but I think we should check in with your Mom now that we're done with the trial."

"Oh, yeah!" Ash grinned. "Then maybe we can take her to get some malsalada samples!"

"Great idea!" May agreed, then she turned to the professor. "You wanna join us, Professor?"

"I'd love to, but I'm afraid I have to go home today," Kukui shrugged.

"Oh," Ash said, his face falling slightly, but it picked up again. "Okay. You think we'll meet up again?"

"I hope so," the professor grinned. "I want to see more of your training, Ash. You seem very capable as a trainer!"

"Thanks, Professor," Ash replied, extending his hand. The professor shook it, and they want back to town together. They quickly found their way back to the Pokemon Center to heal up their Pokemon.

"Well, this is where we part ways for now," the professor said. "So long, Ash and May. I expect we'll meet again real soon."

"So long, Professor," Ash replied.

"Bye, Professor Kukui!" May grinned.

" _Pikachu_!" Pikachu smiled.

With that, Professor Kukui walked away, leaving Ash and May alone.

"That was quite the adventure, wasn't it?" Ash grinned.

"It sure was," May agreed. They walked in and healed their Pokemon. Then they walked back along the path to the hotel. "Ash, look at the sunset!"

"Huh?" Ash said, turning towards the west. "Oh, wow!"

"It looks amazing, doesn't it?" May smiled dreamily as they leaned against the railing, gazing at the sun. "So romantic."

Ash grinned, then abruptly pulled her into a kiss. She was startled, but she kissed him back for a moment before they broke apart. "What was that for?" she asked with a grin, her arms around his neck while his were around her waist.

"It's a sunset," he smirked. "Aren't you supposed to kiss your girlfriend when you're looking at the sunset?"

She blinked in confusion, then grinned as she brought her arms down and punched his arm playfully. "You dork," she giggled. Ash chuckled with her.

"What a beautiful view...I wish I could share it with you."

"Huh?" the couple stopped chuckling a moment when they heard the feminine voice speak. They turned and saw a young girl wearing a white summer dress and hat staring at the sunset a short distance away from them. She had a Pokeball styles messenger bag slung over her shoulder and wore white stockings. Her long, bright blonde hair flowed over her shoulders. She turned, startled by them as they approached her.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, her lime-green eyes widening a moment. "H-hello."

"Hi!" Ash said, stepping forward and extending his hand. "What's your name?"

"Oh, um," she said quietly, "sorry, but...Professor Kukui is helping me take care of my Pokemon, so –"

"He is?" May blinked. "Well, he's leaving town right now, so if you wanna catch up with him –"

"Yes, yes," the girl said, almost urgently. "He's waiting for me, so I have to be going. I, uh...hope we can meet again sometime." With that, she dashed off, leaving the two trainers and Pokemon puzzled.

"That was odd," Ash said softly to himself.

"Who is she?" May wondered. "Professor Kukui's assistant?"

"That's what she told us," he nodded, "but she didn't say anything else…"

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu murmured.

"Well, I'm sure we'll meet her again," May said, regaining her usual demeanor. "Let's go catch up with your mom and Professor Oak."

"Let's do that," Ash agreed, and his stomach growled. "It's about dinner time anyway, right?"

"Right!" May agreed.

As they walked back to the hotel, holding hands, they smiled to themselves. _This is going to be the best vacation ever_ they thought.

* * *

 **I'm debating splitting this story into parts. As many of you can probably tell, this marks the end of the demo arc, which means the next chapter will be based on the full game. What do you think? Feel free to let me know in a review (but no flames, please).**

 **Less than 10 days until Pokemon Sun and Moon release around the world! Get hyped, everyone!**


	6. Chapter 1-1: Alola!

**Alola, everyone! Pokemon Sun & Moon have finally released, and I am thoroughly enjoying it! Reviews are looking good, and the experience, from what I've played so far, is at once familiar and new! Anyways...**

 **In the previous chapter, I said I was debating splitting this story into parts. Well as you can see, I've settled on a compromise. I'm not splitting this series into multiple stories, but I am splitting the story into parts. If you look at all the previous chapters, you'll see the chapter header on each of them has been updated to reflect the fact that everything until now has been a prologue to what you see here. This, then, marks the beginning of the main story.**

* * *

Chapter 1-1: Alola!

 _She ran down the white hallway, her face a grimace of fear. Her yellow hair flapped behind her as she ran; it was a miracle her large white hat didn't fly off her head. It didn't take long for her to get on the small elevator, which took her up to the floor above. Inside her Pokeball styled messenger bag, a Pokemon hid away, trembling in fear. Only its eyes and mouth were visible from the opening. She slowly walked forward, thinking for a moment that she'd escaped._

" _Hey!"_

 _She turned around and gasped in fear. "No," she whispered. "No!" She started running again, winding around the railed walkways, two men dressed in white in hot pursuit._

" _Stop that girl!" they called, pursuing her throughout the building. Eventually, she saw a clearing coming up. This was her chance!_

" _Going somewhere?" a third man in white said, standing in her way. She halted and watched as she was surrounded by the men._

" _It's over, miss," the first man in white grinned. "Surrender yourself."_

" _No," she whispered to herself, trembling. "Please."_

 _That was when the Pokemon hidden in her bag started glowing. She turned towards it and gasped. "What in the world?" the men in white said. The glow suddenly surrounded the girl in a field of psychic energy, blinding the men in white. When the glow faded and they looked up again, the girl was gone._

 _Where did she go? She hid away, hiding under the wing of Professor Kukui as his assistant. She was a strange girl, dressed in white. She had a mysterious Pokemon in her bag, and a mischievous one at that. She always seemed to be wary, maybe even fearful._

 _But who was she?_

* * *

"Come on, Ash!" Delia called, rapping on the door to his room. "Pack your stuff and let's go!" The response that came from inside was muffled and incoherent. Delia put her hands on her hips and huffed. "Oh, that boy of mine. He's even lazier than a Snorlax!"

"To be fair," May, who was standing right beside her, said, "you were the one who told us to unpack our stuff last night since we'd probably be here for a while."

"I wouldn't have said that if I knew we'd be going to our condo in less than twelve hours," Delia mumbled.

"Well, don't worry," Samson Oak smiled. "Ash will be out soon enough. Then we can be on our merry way."

As if on cue, the doorknob rotated. The door opened, revealing a very tired Ash Ketchum and Pikachu carrying their stuff out.

"Ah, there you are, sleepyhead!" Delia grinned, ruffling his hair by slipping her hand under his hat. "Ready to go to the condo?"

"Yeh," he mumbled, eye twitching.

"Hm," Samson mused. "Still not fully awake, hm?"

"Not for long," May grinned slyly at her boyfriend. She walked forward and suddenly kissed him. Ash's eyes went wide, but before he had a chance to kiss back, she pulled away. He blinked rapidly as he processed what just happened. "That wake you up?" she asked innocently.

A goofy grin slowly formed on his face. "Best alarm clock ever," he said. Everyone laughed.

Before long, they were all packed up and heading out. Their condo was just outside Hau'oli City, so they didn't have to walk far. Delia and Samson led the way with May behind them. Pikachu was perched on her shoulder...and Ash was carrying most of the luggage.

"What a beautiful day!" Delia said as they came up to their condo. "Could anything be more soothing? Our first full day of vacation spent under Alola's sun!"

"It's so beautiful here!" May agreed.

" _Pikachu!_ "

"Yes," Samson nodded. "This is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world for numerous occasions: honeymoons, vacations, and anything of the sort."

"It's even more beautiful than Hoenn," May said dreamily.

"Well now, that's saying quite a bit, young lady!" Delia grinned. "Hoenn's your home."

"I know," May nodded, "and for a long time I didn't think there was a region out there that could beat my home as a tropical paradise. But it looks like after seventeen years, I've finally been proven wrong."

" _Pika!_ " Pikachu squeaked in a falsetto.

"All right," Delia continued to smile. "As much as we all want to spend all our time under the sun, we really should unpack everything."

"Right!" May agreed, pumping her fist. Then she looked around at her two companions in confusion. "Um...where's all our luggage? I thought we had more than this."

"OOF!"

Everyone jumped at the sound of a certain someone plopping to the ground in exhaustion, completely covered in...luggage.

May giggled. "You know, Mrs. Ketchum," she said, "maybe we picked a bad bellboy."

"Perhaps we did," Delia agreed, giggling with her. "We should have called for some Machamp to help us!" The two women laughed even harder, with Samson and Pikachu quickly joining in.

"Ugh," a voice grumbled from under the luggage. "Go ahead and laugh, you guys. Maybe while you're laughing you could get your stuff and unpack. I mean, come on. It's not like I'm buried alive under luggage here."

"Okay, okay," Delia said, suppressing her chuckles. With that, the three of them took their luggage and brought it in, freeing Ash from his unfortunate position. He got up, picked up his stuff, and lugged it into his room. After that, he threw his hat to the side, flopped down on the bed, and fell asleep.

He only slept for an hour when Pikachu called for him to wake up. His eyes opened groggily, but it didn't take long for him to wake up.

"Whew!" he said, wiping his brow. "Sorry about that, Pikachu. It's not exactly easy carrying everyone else's luggage with your own, you know?"

" _Pika_ ," Pikachu shrugged as he scampered up Ash's shoulder.

He smiled. "So, whataya say, Pikachu? You ready to meet some Alolan Pokemon?"

" _Pika Pikachu_!" Pikachu grinned excitedly.

With that, the two of them walked into the condo's main room, where Delia and May were sitting.

"Ah, you're up!" Delia said.

"Feeling better, now?" May asked.

"You betcha," Ash winked at her. "So, whataya say, May? Ready to explore?"

"What are we waiting for?" May grinned. "Let's –!"

 _Ding-dong._

"Huh?" everyone said, looking at the door. "Who could that be?" Delia wondered.

"Is it Professor Oak?" Ash asked.

"No, he just left to run some errands," Delia replied.

"Then who –?" May started, but before she could finish, the door opened from the outside as their visitor let himself in.

"Professor!" Ash and May exclaimed at the same time.

"Alola, you two!" Professor Kukui said in greeting. He turned to their mother. "And who is this young lady?"

"This is my mom," Ash said, gesturing for her to come forward.

"I'm Delia," she said. "You must be the professor here in Alola."

"Alola, Mrs. Ketchum!" Kukui grinned, shaking her hand.

"Yes, that's what I said," she replied. "You're the professor here in Alola."

Kukui blinked in confusion. "I know that's what you said. I was just saying 'Alola' in response."

"'Alola in response?' That seems redundant. You're just repeating back what I already said."

"How is saying 'Alola' in response redundant? I was simply greeting you like we do here in Alola."

"You greet people in Alola by repeating what they say?"

"No, we greet them by saying 'Alola!'"

"So you greet them by saying the name of your home? That still seems redundant. Should I just say 'Kanto' in response?"

"No no no, that's not how it works! It's a tradition!"

"What's a tradition?"

At this point, Ash and May were looking at each other out of the corner of their eyes. "Y'know," Ash said, "I've seen a lot of strange things in my journey, but I've never seen my mother perform a Gilbert & Sullivan routine with a professor."

"Me neither," May agreed. "Should we take that off our bucket lists?"

They laughed. "Hey, guys," Ash said, "can we cut the chit-chat? Whatcha doing here, Professor?"

"I saw you wonderful people moving into this here condo and decided to pay a visit," the professor explained. He turned to Delia. "I ran into your son and his girlfriend yesterday in the city and took them to a trial site. They cleared the trial with no problems, even when some goons tried to steal the Pokemon in the site!"

"Goons?" Delia blinked in surprise.

"It was just Team Rocket, Mom," Ash said. "No sweat!"

"I see," she nodded.

"So I decided to pay you all a visit," Kukui concluded. "I'd like to introduce you two to the Island Kahuna and maybe get your two a Pokemon."

"A Pokemon?!" Ash exclaimed, his eyes glowing with excitement.

" _Pika?!_ " Pikachu mirrored him.

"Island Kahuna?" May said curiously.

"You know it!" Kukui went on, "The kahuna in Iki Town is always happy to give people like you their first Pokemon. Of course, you two are quite seasoned as trainers, so he may be reluctant to simply give new Pokemon to you. After all, the Pokemon he gives out are often the first Pokemon new trainers get."

"Well, what are you two waiting for?" Delia said, looking at her son and his girlfriend. "Go get ready for an adventure! Ash, why is your head so bare?"

"I left my hat in my room," he replied. "Lemme go get it!" He ran into his room and came out wearing his signature headgear and backpack. "You ready, May?"

"Let's go!" May nodded. They ran out the door after the professor.

"Have fun, you two!" Delia called after them.

* * *

 **What do you think? Feel free to rate and review, but no flames please. Thanks for reading, and enjoy Pokemon Sun & Moon!**


	7. Chapter 1-2: The Girl in White

**I forgot to mention at the beginning of the last chapter: this story got as many favs in ten days as my last big project got in its whole lifetime! Since then, this has become my most faved project in my nearly three years on fan fiction. Thank you!**

* * *

Chapter 1-2: The Girl in White

Iki Town wasn't too far from their condo. After five minutes, Ash and May found themselves in a small village that, to their puzzlement, was fairly quiet.

"I thought you said this was a lively place," Ash said to Professor Kukui.

"Where is everybody?" May wondered.

" _Pikachu_?"

Kukui looked around. "Huh?" he said, indicating that he was just as confused as they were. "What's goin' on here? We were supposed to meet everybody right here, yeah." He folded his arms and thought a moment. "I guess they're all back there on Mahalo Trail."

"Mahalo Trail?" Ash repeated.

Kukui didn't hear him. He turned to the two of them and continued on. "Could you two find the island kahuna? I'll wait here until we're ready."

"Sure," Ash nodded.

"What does he look like?" May asked.

"The island kahuna?" Kukui said. "Oh, you can't miss him. He looks just like a kahuna!" With that, he walked off, leaving Ash and May standing there with deadpan expressions.

"He looks just like a kahuna," Ash repeated in a monotone. "Real helpful, Kukui!"

"Come on," May rolled her eyes and giggled, tugging his arm. "He can't be that far." With that, they walked through town, looking for someone who looked like a kahuna...whatever that meant. "So how are you enjoying our vacation so far, Ash?" May asked, striking up small talk.

"It's a lot more exciting than I thought it would be," he admitted. "I thought we'd be relaxing the whole time and doing nothing."

"Well sorry to make you work, then," May pouted playfully.

"Actually, I'm enjoying it," he replied. "I don't mind a rest every now and then, but I can't stay still forever."

"No, I guess you can't," May agreed with a chuckle.

"Honestly, I just want to spend more time with Mom," Ash said. "We don't get to spend much time together anymore, and I know she was really looking forward to having time together this vacation."

"Well, there should be plenty of time for that," May smiled warmly at him.

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "Time for adventure and time for rest." That was when something caught his eye. "Hey, look!"

"Hm?" May blinked. "Did you find the kahuna?"

"No, I don't think so, but look!" He pointed to a figure dressed in white standing at the entrance to a trail.

"Hey, isn't that –?" May started.

"Yeah, I think it is," Ash nodded. The mysterious girl entered the trail. "Maybe she knows where the kahuna is," he said. "Come on! Let's find out!"

With that, they ran to the trailhead and began winding their way through a mysterious trail. After a moment, they stopped to catch their breath.

"This trail," May mused. "There's something...otherworldly about it."

"Yeah," Ash mused. "There's something about it." He looked at her. "I thought at first that my aura was just telling me something, but if you feel it too…"

He trailed off. "Maybe there's an extremely powerful Pokemon here," May suggested.

"Powerful Pokemon," Ash repeated. "That sounds awesome! Come on!" He started running up the trail again.

"Hey, don't forget the kahuna!" May called after him as she followed him. "Or the girl!"

"Don't worry!" Ash called back. "We'll get them first, then come back to find that Pokemon!"

They continued their run briefly until they saw the mysterious girl again. She said something to her messenger bag, which was wiggling erratically, and went on. They continued to follow her until they found her right in front of a bridge. As soon as they caught up to her, they saw the contents of her bag fly out.

"Whoa!" Ash exclaimed quietly. "Is that a new Pokemon?"

"Look on the bridge!" May exclaimed, pointing. Ash looked and saw a small blue shape curled up on the middle of the bridge. The floating Pokemon that left the girl in white floated over it, seemingly playing with it. Then they saw several small shapes coming towards the Pokemon. As they came closer, Ash recognized them immediately.

"A flock of Spearow!" he said quietly.

"They don't look very happy," May said fearfully. Sure enough, the Spearow began flying violently around the new Pokemon, which curled up and froze in fear. "Why isn't she doing anything?" she said again, looking at the girl in white as she stood there, frozen.

The girl, however, heard her comment and turned to them fearfully. "Ah…" she stammered.

"What's going on?" Ash asked.

"Who are you?" May asked at the same time.

The girl seemed incapable of explaining herself. "Help," she stammered. "S-save Nebby!"

"Nebby?" May blinked, looking at the frightened Pokemon, who was now crying out in fear. She thought she could hear another Pokemon whimpering as well, but whatever sound she heard was too mild to be heard clearly. "Why can't you save them – I mean, it?" May asked. _Them?_ she thought. _Where did that come from?_ She looked at the blue shape that "Nebby" was floating over.

"I-I'm too afraid to go out there," she said softly, trembling in fear. "My legs feel like they might give out."

May didn't waste another second. She ran out onto the bridge towards the Pokemon. "May!?" Ash exclaimed. "May, wait!"

" _Pika Pika_!" Pikachu cried.

"Whoaaaa," May said, wobbling as she lost her balance slightly.

"That bridge is unstable!" Ash exclaimed.

"I-I'm sorry," the girl whispered, but no one heard her.

May ran up to the Pokemon and bent over to shield it from the Spearow's attack. "Hold on!" she said to it. "I'll get you out of here! Augh!" The Spearow pecked her, too.

" _O?_ "

Her eyes snapped open at that sound. She saw the blue shape beneath the Pokemon she was protecting had uncurled itself, revealing itself to be a Pokemon. It looked just as scared as "Nebby."

"Oh my," May whispered.

" _Pewwwww_!" "Nebby" growled softly, and a blue glow began to envelop them.

"No, STOP!" the girl in white screamed, but it was too late. The Pokemon unleashed a psychic blast of energy that warded off the Spearow for a moment. But it also destroyed the middle of the bridge, sending all of them plummeting into the ravine.

"MAY!" Ash screamed. May and the Pokemon tumbled through the air. The moment they were about to hit the bottom, however, a strange Pokemon no one had ever seen before shot down towards them in an array of lightning. It snatched them out of the air and brought them back up to the cliff where the other two were. May still held "Nebby" and the other Pokemon, who was once again curled up in fear, in her arms. They looked and saw their savior gazing at them with a gaze that was at once curious and affirmative. Then, as abruptly as it had arrived, it shot back into the sky in a ray of lightning.

"Tapu Koko," the girl whispered in shock. She turned to May. "I'm so sorry about this," she said remorsefully. "I almost caused you to –"

"It's okay," May said, handing her back her Pokemon while looking at the other one in her lap. The Pokemon in question slowly uncurled itself and looked up at her, frowning and seemingly still fearful. "But what is this Pokemon?"

The girl gasped. "It's one of the Pokemon the kahuna gives to those who wish to become Pokemon trainers!" she said. "He asked me to look for it, as it had run off again."

"Curled up on an unstable bridge like that?" May said, looking at the trembling Pokemon with compassion.

"Oh, man," Ash said softly as he looked at the Pokemon. "You poor thing. You must be terrified right now."

The Pokemon whimpered like a puppy and curled up on May's chest, still trembling. May stood up, still holding it and gently stroking its head. "Shh," she whispered to it. "It's okay. You're safe now."

"Hey, you said you knew the kahuna, right?" Ash asked the girl, returning to the mission they were originally sent on.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "N-no. I mean, I'm familiar with him, but I don't...well, you know –"

"Yeah yeah yeah, I know," Ash nodded. "That's fine. We were just looking for him. We wanted to meet him."

"Oh," the girl said. "Well, I'm sorry. I don't know where he is."

"Where did you last see him?" May asked.

"I don't remember. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Ash smiled reassuringly. "What's important is that we're all okay. That could've ended a lot worse."

"I suppose that's easier for you to say," the girl said, glaring at him lightly. "You weren't in any danger."

"Maybe not," he agreed, "but I know what I'm talking about." He smiled as his mind drifted back to his first day as a trainer.

 _Spearows, do you know who I am?_

"How can you know?" she asked.

"On my first day as a Pokemon trainer, I had to go through nearly the same thing May just went through out there: an angry flock of Spearow had a bone to pick with Pikachu and me. Pikachu was injured in the chaos, so I stood in front of him to protect him. Then he attacked the Spearow and sent them flying away." He sighed wistfully after finishing his story. "The rest, as they say, is history."

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu agreed, nuzzling his trainer. He chuckled.

The girl in white smiled softly at this cute display of friendship. " _Pew, pew_!" her Pokemon "Nebby" suddenly called to her, hovering over something that glimmered against its cloudy form.

"Oh!" the girl said. "What is that?"

" _Pew pew_!" "Nebby" said, bringing it to her.

"A sparkling...stone? It feels almost warm somehow…" She turned to May. "I'm so very sorry, where are my manners? Thank you so much for saving Nebby from that situation."

"Of course!" May smiled. "But, if you don't mind me asking, who are you?"

"Uh…" she said, turning the stone over in her hands. "I, uh…"

"Hey, no pressure," Ash said, holding up a hand. "If you're not one for conversation, we won't be a bother."

"Oh, no, it's fine, it's just," the girl said quickly, then she took a breath and handed the stone to May. "I...think this belongs to you."

"Huh?" May blinked, taking the stone in her hands. "What is it? It looks like…"

Ash gasped. "A Z-Ring!?" He held up his arm.

May looked at his wrist, then looked at the stone. "Say, I think you're right!" she exclaimed. "But...it looks completely smashed together."

"Excuse me," the girl in white interrupted them, "but I have a favor to ask of you. Please...don't tell anyone about this...about Nebby."

Ash blinked. "Why not?"

"It's...it's a secret, okay?"

"Okay," May nodded. "But why –"

"Come on," the girl went on, turning to her Pokemon. "Into the bag, Nebby." The Pokemon obeyed and jumped into her bag, squirming around a little as it did so. She turned to the two of them. "I know I probably don't have a right to ask you this, but...could you come with me back to town? I'm worried we may get attacked by a wild Pokemon."

"Of course!" Ash grinned. "Maybe we can find the kahuna together!"

" _Pikachu_!" Pikachu agreed.

"Thank you," she nodded, but she still didn't give a smile. "Shall we be on our way, then?"

"Sure," May said, abruptly standing between her and Ash. The girl was startled by this, but she didn't think much of it. Ash blinked in confusion, but he shrugged it off. With that, they set off back the way they came. May looked down at the Pokemon in her arms. It was still curled up against her, tense and afraid.

 _Why is it still afraid?_ she wondered, stroking its head again. _It's not like it's in danger...is it?_


	8. Chapter 1-3: Popping a Bubble

Chapter 1-3: Popping a Bubble

Professor Kukui looked over at Mahalo Trail uncertainly. "Hm," he said to himself, looking away for a moment. "What could have kept them?"

"Professor!"

"Hm?" he looked up sharply to see Ash, May, and the girl in white running up to him urgently. "Ash! May! You're back, yeah!" When they reached him, he saw the looks of worry on their faces. "What happened?" Then he saw the Pokemon in May's arms. He gasped. "Tapu Koko! How did _he_ get out here?!"

"We found him on a bridge just as it collapsed," Ash explained. "May saved him."

"Really?" he said, looking at the brunette.

"Yeah," she said. "It was actually pretty frightening."

"I see," he nodded, his smile returning as he patted the Pokemon on the head. "Well, it seems to me that this Pokemon owes you its life."

May's eyes widened. "You mean I can have it?"

"Well, that's not my decision," Kukui admitted with shrug. "You'll have to speak with the kahuna about that." He turned to the girl in white. "I see you've found my assistant," he said. "I'd introduce you, but it seems you've already met, yeah."

"Your assistant?" Ash blinked.

"Oh! Um…" the girl looked at the two of them and nodded. "Yes. You can call me Lillie."

"Lillie?" May repeated. Then she showed a smile. "That's a pretty name!"

"Thank you," Lillie said shyly.

"My name's May," May went on. "I'm from the Hoenn region!"

Lillie's eyes widened. "The Hoenn region?" she repeated. "But...that's very far away, isn't it?"

"It sure is," May nodded, gesturing to Ash. "I came with my boyfriend here to go on vacation." She then noticed something. "Ash, where are you manners?" she playfully scolded him. "Aren't you going to introduce yourself?"

Ash, however, was deep in thought. He looked intently at the girl in white, as though recalling a distant memory. "Lillie," he repeated her name, though he spoke more to himself than to her.

"Ash?"

"Huh?" he snapped out of his thoughts. "Oh, jeez, I'm sorry!" he quickly apologized. "I'm Ash, from Pallet Town in the Kanto region!" He extended his hand. "Nice to meet you, Lillie."

" _Pikachu!_ " Pikachu introduced himself as well.

"Ash?" Lillie blinked, speaking his name as though it were familiar. "Oh...yes, Ash! It's nice to meet you, too."

"Heh!" Kukui grinned at Ash and Lillie. "You two seem to have some sort of connection going there."

"What?!" Ash and May both exclaimed. "N-no!" Ash shook his head. "I just got a little lost in thought, that's all!" He blushed as he said this.

"Oh, I'm just teasing," Kukui chuckled.

"You better be," May said to herself so no one else could hear, glaring at him out of the corner of her eye. That was when everyone heard a commotion from a short distance away. "Huh?" they all said.

"The kahuna is back!" someone said. "Kahuna Hala has returned!" someone else said. They said various other things, but the message was the same. Soon enough, a short, plump man with white hair, a white mustache, and a youthful exuberance strode up confidently. He wore white shorts, a blue t-shirt, and blue flip flops. His most prominent piece of attire was his tropical yellow overshirt.

"Have I missed something?" he asked in a voice that belonged to a fun-loving grampa and exuded a youthful exuberance that defied his age.

"No," Kukui replied, "but where'd you go off to, Kahuna? I thought we were meeting here."

"Well, I _am_ Kahuna of this island," Hala replied. "If there is a problem on this island, it is my duty to resolve it." He turned to Ash, May, and Lillie. "I recognize one of those three faces. Who are the other two?"

"Glad to know someone recognizes a champion when they see one," Ash grinned smugly, adjusting his hat.

"Ash!" May glared playfully at him, swatting him in the back of the head.

"Ouch! Hey, take it easy," he laughed. "It was just a joke." She chuckled.

"I thought I saw Tapu Koko flying around earlier," the Kahuna continued. "Care to explain what you two troublemakers were up to?"

"No, Kahuna!" Lillie exclaimed, stepping forward in front of her new friends. She proceeded to explain to him what really happened.

"Woo!" Kukui grinned, looking at Ash and May with admiration. "I knew you had potential in the two of you when I saw you in Hau'oli City yesterday, but I wouldn't have expected you to go so far as to nearly lay down your lives for a Pokemon you barely know."

"Hey, to be fair, May was the one who saved Nebby," Ash insisted. "I never got the chance to do anything."

"That's true," Lillie agreed. "But if you were given the chance, you'd do the same thing. You said so when you told me about your first day as a trainer."

"Tapu Koko is a rather fickle creature," Kukui said. "And yet it was moved to save you. That says a lot about you, yeah."

"Ho ho ho!" Hala laughed heartily. "Kukui my boy, I think we have cause to celebrate! It seems I should entrust this young woman with a Pokemon of her own. She'll make a fine trainer!"

"Oh!" May exclaimed. "Thank you, Mr. Kahuna, but I've been a trainer for a long time."

"Oh, that's no excuse!" the Kahuna chuckled. "You risked your life to save Lillie's Pokemon! We must reward your courage somehow. I usually don't give these Pokemon to just anyone, but I will make a glad exception in your case. However, there's a slight problem."

"What's that?" Ash asked.

"I'm...missing one of the Pokemon."

"You are?"

"Yes. One of the Pokeballs for the Pokemon was vacant when I checked them this morning. I've been searching all over the island to find that poor Pokemon, but it's useless! I can't find it anywhere!"

May looked at the Pokemon in her arms. It was asleep now, seemingly relaxed. "Um...sir?" she asked. "Is this that Pokemon?"

"Hm?" Hala blinked. "Well, let me see here." She handed the small blue Pokemon to him. He inspected it a moment, then smiled at her. "Ah, yes...here it is. Where on earth did you find it?"

"It was hiding under Nebby when the Spearow attacked," May replied.

"Ah, and so you saved it too, hm?" Hala grinned. "What a fine young woman you are." The Pokemon in his arms began to wake up. It looked around and saw all the humans surrounding it. Frightened, it suddenly squirmed out of Hala's grip and scampered away. "Oh, no, not again!"

"Whoa!" Ash exclaimed as the Pokemon scampered through his legs. Lillie reached down and caught it in her arms, lightly pinching its collar. It calmed down and began breathing slowly.

"You don't have to be afraid," May said, gazing directly into the Pokemon's eyes. "We're not gonna hurt you." The poor frightened Pokemon just turned away and hid in Lillie's arms. Hala sighed somberly, and May looked up in confusion. "Why is he afraid? We're not gonna hurt him."

"I'm afraid it's not so simple," Hala said, his voice becoming serious.

May blinked. "What do you mean?"

The Kahuna slowly walked over to Lillie and gently took the Pokemon from her arms. He then cradled it in his arms. "This Pokemon here is one of three Pokemon we give to new trainers here in Alola. The two others are the Grass Quill Pokemon Rowlet and the Fire Cat Pokemon Litten."

"And what about this one?" Ash asked.

" _Pika_?"

Hala sighed again as he rocked the sleeping Pokemon. "This is Popplio, the Sea Lion Pokemon," he said, "and this Popplio in particular has been subject to a lot more torment than any Pokemon should endure."

"What do you mean?" May asked.

"You see, Rowlet and Litten have always been more popular choices for new trainers. They are loved by many, and young boys and girls dream of being able to train them up one day." He looked down at Popplio. "Poor Popplio has never had that luck. It's always been seen as the odd one out, and it is seldom chosen to be a new trainer's partner."

Ash and May looked at each other sadly. "So is that why this Popplio is afraid of humans?"

"No," Hala shook his head. "This Popplio in particular has been subject to more hatred and more cruelty than the average Popplio. It has been both physically and verbally abused. In addition to the usual insults trainers throw its way, it's been stomped on, slammed about, and beaten to the point of tears. The poor thing's endured so much hatred that it no longer feels safe around humans. It lives in constant fear that any humans surrounding it, despite showing it kindness at first, will turn on a dime and abuse it." He sighed one more time as he finished Popplio's tale. "Perhaps that's why it ran away this morning. Perhaps it couldn't stand being here anymore."

"Oh, Popplio," May whispered, walking up and placing her hand on its head. "You poor thing. I'm so sorry you got treated with so much cruelty, but I'm not like that. I promise." She slowly stroked its forehead with her thumb. Its eyes opened and fell on her. A curious expression came onto its face. May smiled at it. It turned away and shut its eyes in fear. May stood up and walked away, looking sad.

"I appreciate your kind heart, young lady," Hala smiled warmly at her. "I'll take Popplio to his Pokeball now, then I'll let you choose a Pokemon to take with you."

"That won't be necessary," May said abruptly, turning back towards him.

"What?"

"I choose Popplio," she said.

"You sure about that, May?" Ash asked. "There are two other choices. Don't you want to weigh all your options?"

"Right, sure," she glared at him sarcastically. "It's not like some other kind-hearted trainer's gonna come along and take Popplio in, is it? Someone needs to be there for Popplio." She turned to the Kahuna with determination in her eyes. "I will take care of him."

"You're a good girl, May," Hala nodded. "However, there is one other thing I should mention."

"What's that?"

"In Alola, we don't just have trainers choose their first Pokemon. Their first Pokemon must also choose them. Only when you have both chosen each other can you truly call each other partners."

May listened, then nodded. "I understand," she said.

"But how will Popplio choose May if it's so afraid of humans?" Ash asked.

"That is my concern," Hala said, somber again. "Popplio's been rejected so many times now, it no longer feels comfortable choosing a trainer. It is afraid that it will only get abused once again."

May sighed. "If that's the case, then I won't force it to come with me." She turned away sadly.

"So Popplio won't accept her," Ash mused. "Then who _will_ it accept?"

At that moment, a sudden explosion of smoke erupted seemingly from nowhere and blinded everyone. "GAH!" Hala cried. "What is the meaning of this?!"

"So you're the Kahuna of Melemele Island, are you?" came a voice.

"You're a lot fatter than we thought you'd be," came another.

"Now hand over yer Pokemon!" came a third.

Ash recognized those voices immediately. "Team Rocket!" he cried.

The smoke cleared, revealing the infamous trio standing there with Popplio and two other Pokemon caught in a net. Ash didn't recognize the other Pokemon, but he deduced that they were Rowlet and Litten.

"Team Rocket?" Hala exclaimed. "You don't mean the same Team Rocket based in Kanto, do you?!"

"The one and only," James sneered. "And now if you'll excuse us, we have to take these rare Alolan Pokemon to the boss!"

"Not if I can help it," Ash growled. "Pikachu! Use Electro Ball!"

" _Pika_!" Pikachu said, jumping off his trainer's shoulders. A ball of electricity formed around it as it flew through the air. " _Chuuuuuuuu_ ," it growled as it formed, then it slammed the ball with its tail, sending it careening towards the trio.

"Look out!" Meowth cried. They jumped in three different directions, leaving the net in the chaos. The ball hit the net and destroyed it, freeing the Pokemon. "Oh no!"

"Get back here!" James shouted at the Pokemon. "We have to take you to our boss!"

The Pokemon didn't listen. Rowlet flew away while Litten scampered off, hiding behind Ash. Popplio was less successful, as it tried to run away but only skittered across the ground.

"This one's mine!" Meowth grinned, jumping at the Sea Lion Pokemon.

"Popplio!" May cried. She dove for it, snatched it up, and rolled over, narrowly avoiding Meowth's clutches.

"Hey, gimme dat back!" he snapped.

"You want it so badly?" she retorted. "Come and get it!" She ran towards the Kahuna. Before she could reach him, however, Meowth intercepted her and slashed her across the face. "AUGH!" she screamed, bringing her hands up to her face in pain. Popplio fell to the ground.

"MAY!" Ash screamed in horror.

"Haha!" Meowth grinned. "You're mine now, you ugly little Pokemon!" He picked up the screaming Popplio and held him up. Popplio tried to wriggle out of his grasp but to no avail.

"That's it!" Ash shouted in rage. He ran at the gloating Meowth and yanked him into the air by his scruff.

"Hey! Put me down, you twerp!" Meowth yelled. The surprise that came from getting yanked into the air caused him to drop Popplio. The frightened Pokemon began to scamper away again.

"As you wish," he said, and he savagely threw him to the ground facefirst.

"Oww!" Meowth cried in pain, but he quickly got back onto his feet and ran towards Popplio. Ash grabbed his tail and held him in place, much to the Scratch Pokemon's chagrin. As he tried to escape Ash's grasp, May recovered from getting slashed earlier. She saw Popplio trying to get away and quickly walked over to it. At that moment, Meowth broke free of Ash's grasp and leapt at Popplio. The poor Pokemon could do nothing but watch in fear.

"No!" May cried, kicking him in midair and sending him sprawling. He flipped over as he hit the ground, then shook himself off and tried to snatch Popplio again. May tried to knock him off course, but he outmaneuvered her and snatched Popplio in his claws.

" _POPPLIOOOOOO!_ " the Pokemon cried in pain as his claws dug into its skin.

"Don't worry," Meowth grinned savagely. "This'll only hurt for a second!" He turned to return to his teammates...only to see a very angry Ash and May staring down at him.

"Let...Popplio...GO," Ash snarled.

"Or what?" he replied sarcastically. He immediately regretted this, as Ash snatched him by the scruff once again and yanked him into the air, much to his chagrin. As he tried to wriggle out of his grasp, May managed to pull Popplio free. She saw scratch marks on its skin from Meowth clinging to it. With Popplio free, Ash threw Meowth back at Team Rocket.

"You made some pretty big mistakes today," Ash growled at them, a savage rage in his eyes, "and I am _not_ letting you get away with it!" With that, he brought his arms up. His Z-Ring glowed brightly, and he proceeded to perform a small dance. When he struck a pose, energy surged out of him and entered Pikachu, who jumped down in front of his trainer. The energy surrounded the mouse Pokemon, who looked equally as angry as his trainer.

"Pikachu!" Ash commanded. "WREAK HAVOC!"

" _Pika! PIIIIIIKAAAAAAAA...CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!_ " Pikachu screamed, unleashing a massive bolt of lightning that slammed into the terrified Team Rocket. An obligatory explosion ensued, and they were sent flying.

"LOOKS LIKE TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAINNNNN!"

 _Ding._

Once the Z-Move was complete, Ash fell to his knees, breathing heavily. The sound of glass shattering suddenly pierced his ears, and he looked at his wrist. "The Z-Crystal!" he exclaimed. "It's –!"

"– destroyed," Hala noted, holding up his wrist. He looked back at Ash. "Only one who has completed the Island Challenge can wield Z-Power the way you just attempted to." He slowly pulled the Z-Ring off of Ash's wrist. "This Z-Ring requires inspection, as a crystal shard may be lodged in it. Do you mind if old Hala here takes care of this for you?"

"Not at all," Ash, recovering from the attack, nodded with a smile. "Truthfully, I have bigger problems." He turned to May and Popplio, who still had scratch marks from Meowth. "Come on," he said. "Let's get you two treated. Seems like Meowth beat you guys up a bit." He turned to Hala. "Is it all right if May takes Popplio with her to our condo? My mom should be able to help them."

"Of course!" Hala nodded. "After seeing the way you two fought to protect both it and the other Pokemon, I see no reason not to trust you. But how long do you think you will be away?"

"At worst?" Ash thought, "we should be back by tomorrow."

"Then by all means, take your time," Hala smiled warmly. "I will meet you here again tomorrow."

"Thank you, Kahuna," Ash bowed. He turned to May. "Let's go get some rest."

"Sounds good," May nodded. With that, they turned and went back towards their condo.

* * *

 **Well, I hope Popplio's backstory wasn't too patronizing.**


	9. Chapter 1-4: Birds of a Feather

Chapter 1-4: Birds of a Feather

"How did this happen?" Delia asked as she put oil on Popplio's scratches. Ash and May had returned to the condo and quickly informed her of what happened.

"I told you, Mom," Ash replied, "Team Rocket attacked. They wanted to steal Popplio, as well as the other starters. Naturally, we stopped them."

"But not unscratched, it seems," she muttered. "Poor things."

"We're gonna give Popplio all day to recover," May said. "We'll go back tomorrow."

"Sounds like a plan," Delia nodded. "I'll set up a bed for Popplio."

"Thank you, Mrs. Ketchum," May smiled. "Once you do that, I'll be able to handle it from there."

"Good," Delia replied as she pulled out a small plastic bin and filled it with soft rags. She smiled as she watched May place Popplio in the bin and carry it to her room. "She's going to make a great mother one day," she said to herself.

"She's already been there and done that," Ash agreed. "She mothered Manaphy a long time ago, and I'm sure she'll do a great job mothering Popplio."

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu nodded.

"What are you gonna do, Ash?" his mother asked.

Ash yawned. "After that encounter with Team Rocket, I think I'm gonna take a nap."

"Okay," she smiled. "Don't sleep too long, though."

"All right," he nodded. With that, he walked into his room and quickly fell asleep.

* * *

 _His eyes flutter open, and he looks around. He finds he is on a small, man-made island covered largely in white. He sees people dressed in odd white outfits walking about with Pokemon. One of them, a small pink bear-like creature walked up to him and nuzzles his leg. It tickles. He smiles, leans down, and pets the cute Pokemon. He notices that his clothes have changed: he's wearing a white and blue t-shirt and black and red short pants. He's missing his gloves._

 _And yet the wind on his skin feels good. "Ah," he says softly. "What a beautiful day." He looks around some more, his expression becoming a bit more puzzled. "But where am I?"_

" _Are you lost, young man?"_

 _He turns and sees one of the people in white standing next to him, giving him a curious look. "Yeah, I am," he replies. "Can you tell me where I –"_

 _His question is interrupted by a sudden humming that echoes across the sky. Everyone covers their ears until it passes. Then, swift as a Suicune, they run towards an elevator. "Quickly!" they cry, planning to inform someone of the phenomena._

 _He watches as everyone, including his companion, runs away. "Where is everybody going?" he wonders. Suddenly the sky above him darkens. He turns and sees what has apparently scared them off: a giant wormhole in the sky!_

" _What in the name of –" he starts to say. Then a light blinds him, and everything disappears._

* * *

"GYUH!" Ash grunted, bolting upright. He blinked and looked around, noticing he was once again in his bed. "Another dream?" he whispered. "That was...odd."

He looked out the window. The sun was still shining. A glance at the clock revealed that he had only been asleep for an hour. Deciding he'd had enough rest, he got up. Pikachu quickly followed and hopped onto his shoulder. He went into the main room and saw that his mom was not there. "Shopping?" he wondered. "Hm." He peeked into May's room and saw her asleep next to Popplio. A smile crossed his face, and he quietly walked away. He went outside and walked towards the small patch of trees nearby. "Always nice to get some fresh air, eh Pikachu?"

" _Pikachu!_ " Pikachu agreed.

That was when he heard a quiet hooting from above him. Curious, he looked up, but he didn't see anything. "Did you hear something, Pikachu?"

" _Pika_ ," Pikachu shrugged.

"I wonder if it was a Pokemon," Ash thought out loud. That was when he felt something swipe at his head. He felt his hair come loose. "Hey!" he exclaimed, putting his hand on his head. His hat was gone!

" _Let let!_ " a voice snickered from behind him. He turned and saw a small, owl-like Pokemon flying a short distance away. His hat was in its small talons.

"That's mine!" Ash said, running after it. The Pokemon flew off in response, and a chase ensued. In the excitement, no one noticed a dark figure watching them with curiosity.

"You're chasing a Pokemon because it stole your hat?" he murmured. "Petty. And yet there's something about you…" His curiosity got the better of him, and he followed quickly yet quietly at a distance.

"Come on, get back here!" Ash yelled. "That hat's really important to me!"

" _Row row!_ " the Pokemon turned back and laughed at him. He pushed aside tree branches and leapt over a trunk to keep up with the Pokemon. The Pokemon turned and laughed at him again, flying backwards for a moment. That moment, however, proved to be its downfall, as it failed to notice a large tree in its flight path and slammed right into it. It promptly fell to the ground and dropped Ash's hat.

Ash quickly caught up to it, and his expression changed from one of annoyance to concern. "Oh no," he said as he recovered his hat and put it on. "What happened?"

" _Let_ ," the injured Pokemon mumbled.

"You must've ran into the tree when you weren't looking," Ash said, picking the Pokemon up and cradling it in his arms. "Are you okay? Can you fly?" The Pokemon attempted to fly out of his arms, but it faltered. "Your wing! It's injured." He put on a resolute expression. "Come on," he said, taking the Pokemon in his arms. "I'll get you our condo. Mom'll take care of you." He turned to walk back the way he came...only to see a new face staring at him. "Oh!" he exclaimed in surprise.

"Is that your Rowlet?" the young man asked, pointing with a bony hand at the Pokemon in Ash's arms.

"Uh...no," Ash shook his head. "It stole my hat and I was trying to get it back, but then it ran into a tree and hurt itself. Is it yours?"

"No," the young man replied curtly. "I don't need it."

Ash looked at the Pokemon in his arms. "Then I guess it's a wild one." He looked back up. "What did you say its name was?"

"Rowlet," he replied.

"Rowlet, huh?" He looked back at the Pokemon and smiled. "That's a nice name." He looked back up again. "I gotta go." He started to walk away.

"You're helping it after it stole your hat?"

Ash stopped in his tracks and turned around, confused. "Well, yeah," he said. "It got hurt."

The young man placed his left hand onto his forehead. He wore mostly black and red, including an odd black hoodie with a red scar across the front. His pants, which were only ankle-length, had slashed in their sides. He wore red shoes and a small red satchel around his waist. In a stark contrast to his attire, however, his hair was a bright blonde, with one side's bangs covering his right eye. His eyes were a lime green.

"And why did you chase it because of a silly hat?"

"It's not just a silly hat," Ash retorted, slightly annoyed. "It was a gift from my girlfriend."

"I see," the young man nodded. Then he turned and started to walk away. "You seem like a capable trainer. I expect we'll meet again...if you're planning to take on the Island Challenge, that is."

"Island Challenge?" Ash blinked, confused. "What's –"

Before he could ask his question, he looked up and saw that the mysterious young man was gone. He looked around, confused. "Who was that guy?"

" _Pika_ ," Pikachu shrugged.

He looked at Rowlet, still laying in his arms. "Okay," he said. "Let's get you back to the condo. We'll have you flying free again in no time!"

* * *

Delia opened the door to May's room and peeked in. May was just waking up, rubbing her eyes. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?" she asked.

"Fine," May replied. "These scratches on my face don't sting as badly anymore. It looks like Popplio's recovering, too."

Popplio looked up at Delia, cocking its head cutely to the side. It still looked nervous, but it wasn't curled up in utter fear anymore.

"Well, that's progress," Delia smiled. That was when she heard the door to the condo open abruptly.

"Mom!"

She whirled around. "Ash? What is it? Is everything okay?"

"Pikachu and I are fine," Ash replied, coming in as he closed the door, "but this Rowlet got hurt playing a prank on me."

"Oh dear," Delia said, taking the small owl-like Pokemon in her arms. "What happened?"

"Its wing got injured after it rammed into a tree," he explained. "Think you can fix it?"

"I can try," she nodded. She took Rowlet to a small countertop and sat it down. "Here, now. Let me see your wing."

" _Row! Rowlet!_ " the Pokemon snapped at her, yanking its wing away. It then moaned in pain and clutched its wing, nuzzling it with its beak.

"Seems like it's not gonna be that easy," Ash mused. At that moment, the door opened again. Ash and Delia turned and saw Samson Oak walking in with bags full of groceries.

"Alola!" he said. "Why the frightened faces?"

"Ash found an injured Rowlet outside," Delia replied. "Its wing is hurt."

"Oh?" Samson said, coming over after setting down the groceries. "Let me see." He gently lifted Rowlet's wing in a different manner from Delia. "Ah, this isn't so bad. Just get me a paper towel and I can fix this up. It'll have to stay here for the night, though."

Ash quickly walked over and brought a roll of paper towels. Samson ripped off a small piece and wrapped Rowlet's wing in it. "There, there now," he said, patting Rowlet's head when he finished. "Soon you'll be free again."

" _Let_ ," Rowlet mumbled.

"We'll have to check up on Rowlet every few hours until tomorrow morning," Samson said, turning to Ash and Delia. "Can one of you do that?"

"I will," Ash said. "I found Rowlet in the woods, so I should probably help it."

"That's my boy," Delia smiled, tenderly kissing him on the cheek. Ash blushed.

* * *

It was the middle of the night now. Ash sat by Rowlet, his sleeping head laid right next to Rowlet's wide awake body. Shortly, something started beeping. Ash's eyes shot open and he lifted his head up. He turned off the alarm clock and looked at Rowlet with a warm smile. "How are you feeling, Rowlet?"

" _Let! Rowlet_!" the Pokemon replied, although it was still clear that it was recovering.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," he smiled. "At this rate, you'll be back in the trees and stealing people's hats again by tomorrow morning." Rowlet chuckled with him at that.

"Seems Rowlet's recovering nicely."

He turned and saw May standing beside him, an uncertain Popplio in her arms. "Yeah, he is," he nodded. "How's Popplio?"

"Perfectly fine now," she said as she came forward and placed Popplio next to Rowlet. "We'll be able to bring it back to Iki Town by tomorrow morning."

"Good," Ash smiled. He stroked Popplio's head lightly. The Pokemon tensed up a little, but it didn't recoil from his touch. Instead, it looked at him, though it started to tremble a bit. Ash withdrew his touch in response to this.

"Taking care of Popplio today kinda reminded me of when I took care of Swablu back during our journey through Hoenn," May smiled as she placed a soft hand on Popplio's head. The cute Pokemon didn't even flinch at her touch, although it still didn't seem comfortable.

"Is that right?" Ash said. "Watching you take care of it made me think of you and Manaphy."

May giggled at that. "I guess I have a bit of a history with taking care of Pokemon, huh?

"Yeah," Ash smiled, standing up and putting his hand on her arm. "I don't suppose you could do me a favor and take care of me, could you?"

She glared playfully at him. "I think you can take care of yourself."

Ash chuckled and pulled her into his arms, enfolding her in a warm embrace. She returned it, resting her head against his shoulder. As they embraced, Rowlet and Popplio watched, curious expressions in their cute eyes.


	10. Chapter 1-5: Popplio's Choice

Chapter 1-5: Popplio's Choice

"Boy, talk about yer fixer-upper," Meowth muttered as he and his companions dragged themselves along Route 2. "Those twoips really handed us a beating yesterday."

"I doubt you have anyone but yourself to blame for that," Jessie mumbled. "You're the one who stuck your claws into that ugly blue blob."

"Bah, who cares about da blob?" Meowth grumbled irritably. "We should be staying focused on getting da twoip's Pikachu!"

"I agree with Meowth," James said. He pounded his fist into his open palm with determination. "After that reminder of just how powerful Pikachu is, it's more important than ever that we catch that Pokemon!"

"So let's get stealin'!" Meowth grinned, pumping his paw. They suddenly heard a rustling in the bushes beside them. They froze and looked in curiosity. "What's that?" Meowth wondered.

"This could be trouble," Jessie said, tensing up and getting into a battle position.

The rustling increased. Then they saw a pair of familiar ears pop up out of the bushes. Their tension immediately eased when they recognized those ears.

"Well, what do you know?" James grinned happily. "Looks like stealing Pikachu won't be such a problem if he's so far away from his trainer."

"You're ours this time, Pikachu!" Jessie grinned, whipping out a Pokeball. She threw it at the pair of ears. To her shock, a dark limb suddenly shot up and swatted the Pokeball back at them. It hit Meowth instead, then fell to the ground, having accomplished nothing.

"Hey! Don't go tryin' ta catch me!" Meowth snapped at her.

"I don't remember Pikachu having a tail quite like that," James said thoughtfully. At that moment, the ears disappeared, and Pikachu began to scamper away.

"Gah! It's getting away!" Jessie exclaimed.

"After it!" James cried.

"You're not getting away from us this time, Pikachu!" Meowth grinned. With that, the trio pursued their target through the bushes.

* * *

"Morning, Mom," Ash smiled that morning as his mom walked out. He was sitting on the couch with May sleeping next to him, her head on his shoulder.

"Morning, sweetheart," she replied, returning the smile. "It seems Rowlet and Popplio have recovered nicely."

"Yeah," Ash nodded. "I guess that means we can take them back to where they belong."

"I suppose," a now awake May said, rubbing the sleep away from her eyes as she lifted her head off of Ash's shoulder. She stood up and yawned. "Well, we should probably get ready to go, then."

"Yeah," Ash agreed. With that, they stood up and got themselves ready for the day. After breakfast, they got their stuff and, taking Rowlet and Popplio in their arms, set off for Iki Town. They first stopped by the tree where Ash met Rowlet.

"Well, it seems you're good to go, now," he smiled, holding Rowlet lightly in his hands. "Try not to run into anymore trees, okay?"

" _Let, Rowlet?_ " the little Pokemon said, looking curiously at Ash.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" he asked jokingly. "You're free. Go on."

Rowlet hesitated, but after a moment it spread its wings and started to fly away. After flying a moment, it turned back to look at Ash one more time before disappearing into the trees.

"So long, Rowlet," Ash smiled softly. Then he turned to May. "Let's go get Popplio home, too."

"Okay," May nodded, somewhat sad. They set off for Iki Town and made it back in no time. There, they found Hala, Kukui and Lillie waiting for them.

"Ah, there you are," Hala grinned. "I see Popplio is well again."

"Yes," May nodded, bringing Popplio to the kahuna.

"Thank you for taking care of it," he said softly as he took the blue Pokemon from her arms. She smiled and patted Popplio on the head one more time. Then she turned to walk away, only to feel a firm hand on her shoulder. "Wait a moment," the kahuna said. "Didn't you want to take Popplio with you?"

"Oh!" May said. "Well yes, but –"

"Then let us see if Popplio wishes to join you as well," Hala went on without waiting for her response. "You've shown yourself quite capable with Pokemon, and after seeing you risk your safety for Popplio yesterday, it may have had a change of heart towards you."

"Well...I suppose," she said softly. "But what if it hasn't?"

"We won't know unless we give it shot, yeah?" Kukui grinned.

"I agree with the professor and kahuna," Lillie said, stepping forward. "I think you've earned Popplio's loyalty."

"Are you sure?" May said. "The kahuna said it was afraid of –" she started to say, but then she felt a firm but gentle hand on her shoulder. She turned and looked into her boyfriend's warm brown eyes. He was smiling.

"Go on, May," he said. "If there's any trainer in the world who can win Popplio's acceptance, it's you."

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu agreed.

She returned his smile and blushed at how close his face was to hers. "Thanks, Ash," she replied. She stepped forward onto the large wooden battlefield. Hala placed Popplio on the opposite side, and the coordinator gazed down at the Pokemon with a warm but uncertain smile. Popplio looked up at her with adorable little eyes and an expression that was more curious than uncertain.

"Now, then," Hala said confidently, "let us see if Popplio chooses you to be its trainer!"

May bent down slightly, putting her hands on her knees. It continued to stare at her, seemingly mesmerized.

" _Io?_ " it said softly, cutely cocking its head to the side. It looked around a moment as though thinking about what it was about to do.

"Does it usually take this long to make a choice?" Ash quietly asked the professor.

"Not for this little guy," Kukui smiled confidently to himself. "Popplio would usually have decided to bail right about now. The fact that it's actually thinking about this is a sure sign."

Ash smiled softly to himself. "Looks like May's about to make a new friend, then."

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu smiled softly as well.

Suddenly, Popplio scampered forward up to May across the wood. It then looked up at her smiled.

May gasped. "Popplio," she said softly. "Does that mean...you want to come with me?"

" _Io! Popplio!_ " it barked happily.

"Are you sure?" she asked. "I want you to come with me too, but are you absolutely certain that that's what you – whoa!"

Popplio interrupted her by leaping into her arms. Ash and Kukui laughed, while Lillie looked as startled as May did.

"Oh, Popplio!" May cried in joy, lifting Popplio gently in her arms.

" _Bwark!_ " Popplio barked again, still just as happy. It then started to sniff May's face curiously.

"H-Hey!" May giggled as its nose brushed her skin. "That tickles!" Popplio laughed with her, and Ash walked up to her with a smile.

"Congratulations, May," he said. "Looks like you've won over Popplio's heart."

" _Pika pika!_ " Pikachu cheered. Popplio looked at him with curiosity.

"I won't be like the other trainers," May said, looking at the blue Pokemon compassionately. "I will never abandon you or hurt you. I promise."

" _Popplio_!" Popplio grinned, snuggling into her. May smiled and held it tightly, savoring the warmth she felt in that moment.

"This is truly a wonderful day," Hala smiled as he came forward with Kukui and Lillie. "Popplio has found itself a trainer worthy of its love."

"I never thought I'd see the day," Kukui agreed. "But seeing these two now, it seems that they will be friends forever."

"Yes," Lillie agreed. "It does, doesn't it?"

" _Pew_!" Nebby agreed.

"Oh, you –!" Lillie exclaimed when she saw her mysterious Pokemon hovering beside her. "When did you get out again? I know all these people here will protect you, but I still want you to stay out of sight. It's safer that way."

"Well then, May," Kukui said, stepping forward. "Now that you have your first Pokemon from Alola, I think I should present you and Ash with a gift. It's for the both of you, so be sure you share it, yeah." With that, he handed them a red, computer-like device.

"A Pokedex?" Ash exclaimed, taking it in his hands. "Awesome! What a cool design!"

"Seems a little clunky if you ask me," May mused, looking it over. "I doubt it'll fit in your pocket."

"Yeah," Ash agreed with a chuckle. "It's almost like a 2DS."

"Hey!" a new voice suddenly called to them. They turned and saw a boy run up to them. He had tan skin and gray eyes, while his brown hair was tied up in a unique ponytail. He wore a brown shirt and orange shorts that looked like swim trunks. "You and me!" he said, looking at May with an eager grin. "Let's have a Pokemon battle!"

"Huh?" she blinked in surprise.

"Who are you?" Ash asked.

" _Pikachu?_ "

"Dahahaha!" Hala laughed, walking up to the boy and patting him on the back roughy but affectionately. "Where's the fire, boy? And what kind of trainer doesn't introduce himself before a battle?"

"Oh, right," the boy grinned, putting his hands behind his head and grinning sheepishly. "I'm Hau! Nice to meet you!"

"I'm May," May replied. "I just got my first Alola Pokemon today."

"Yeah, I saw!" Hau grinned excitedly. "That's why I wanna battle you!"

"You a new trainer too?" Ash asked curiously.

Hau looked at him, then gasped in shock. "HOLY TAPU KOKO, IT'S ASH KETCHUM FROM PALLET TOWN!?" he cried.

"Hau, boy!" Hala scolded him. "Do not take the name of our guardian deity in vain!"

Hau wasn't listening. He was too busy fanboying all over the shocked Ash. "Holy cow, I saw your performance at the Lumiose Conference, it was amazing, you and that Greninja were awesome, oh man, I wish you'd won that, you should have won, you're so amazing, can I have your autograph?!"

"Whoa, whoa!" Ash exclaimed, gently but firmly pushing Hau out of his face. "Take it easy there!"

"Sorry," Hau said, putting his hands behind his head again. "I just can't believe Ash Ketchum is in my hometown!"

"Well, if you're so excited to see me, why don't you show it in a battle?" Ash grinned, pumping his fist.

" _Pikachu_!" Pikachu grinned likewise.

"Whoaaaaaa, nononononono!" Hau shook his head vigorously. "You're WAY outta my league, man! I only just got my first Pokemon recently, and you've been at this for what, eight years now?"

"Well, that's true," Ash grinned. "I'd probably kick you to the curb like a Hitmonlee!"

"Yeah," the boy nodded, then turned back to May. "That's why I wanna battle you. You just got that Pokemon, so I have a chance at beating you."

"Hey, I'm not a beginner, you know," May replied, slightly miffed. "I'm only slightly less experienced than Ash. What makes you think you can beat me?"

"Well, if you just got Popplio, then it can't be too experienced in battle, so maybe I can still beat you," Hau shrugged.

"He has a point, cousin," Kukui agreed. "Whataya say?"

May opened her mouth to respond, but then something like a wind swept over their heads. "Ack!" Ash exclaimed as he felt something get snatched from his head. "Oh no, not again!" he moaned.

" _Let! Rowlet!_ "

"Rowlet!" he yelled at the Pokemon. "How did you find me here?! Get back here with that hat!" He took off after it without a second thought, but then he turned back when he realized what was about to happen.

"Huh?" May blinked. "Ash, your hat –"

"I'll get it back later," he said. "I wanna see you in your first battle in Alola!"

"Oh, don't worry about me, Ash," May replied. "You need to get your hat back!"

"But the battle –"

"Um," Lillie stepped forward uncertainly. "I...don't really like to see Pokemon battles where Pokemon can get hurt, but...I'll watch for you, if you don't mind."

"Really?" Ash blinked.

"Yeah," she said.

"Okay," he shrugged, but his demeanor quickly recovered. "Here," he said, handing Pikachu to her. "Would you mind holding Pikachu? He can watch for me, too."

" _Pika_!" Pikachu grinned.

"Oh! O-of course!" Lillie agreed, taken aback as she hesitantly took Pikachu in her arms.

"Thanks, Lillie! You're the best!" Ash grinned as he took off after Rowlet. May and Lillie both looked confused by what he just said.

"I'm the...best?" Lillie repeated to herself.

"Come on!" Hau grinned. "Let's get this battle underway!"

"Yes, yes," Hala nodded. "Come now, step to your respective sides!" They did so, and everyone else formed a small audience around them. Lillie stood next to May, a conflicted expression on her face.

"Hey," May said, looking at her in concern. "Are you okay?"

"I…" Lillie started to respond, but she trailed off.

"You don't have to watch the battle if you don't want to," May said. "If you don't like it –"

"No no, it's fine," she replied. "It's just...what Ash said…"

May raised a skeptical eyebrow. "What about it?" she asked.

Lillie looked into her eyes, revealing lime green eyes that suddenly seemed to be filled with hope. "That's the first time anyone's ever said something like that...to me."

* * *

 **So Popplio has overcome its fear of trainers and accepted May. Meanwhile, Ash is in pursuit of a mischievous Rowlet who seems to have a fondness for awesome headgear, and May is about to have her first battle in Alola against the character everyone was waiting for: Hau! And what about that Pikachu Team Rocket was pursuing?**

 **Meanwhile, for all of you who correctly predicted Ash would get Rowlet in the actual Sun & Moon series...you all get a cookie!**


	11. Chapter 1-6: Birthing Rivalries

Chapter 1-6: Birthing Rivalries

It didn't take long for Ash to catch up with Rowlet. He was on Mahalo Trail again. This time, however, Rowlet stopped after a time and dropped Ash's hat. Caught off guard, the trainer was still quick to catch his hat.

"Wait, that's it?" he blinked, putting his hat back on. "You're just giving me back my hat after leading me on a wild Zangoose chase?"

" _Let! Rowlet!_ " Rowlet replied, coming down to Ash's eye level. Ash extended his arm, and the small owl landed on it. It hopped over to Ash and nuzzled up to his face affectionately.

"Hey!" he laughed. "Come on now, cut that out!" Rowlet pulled away slightly and Ash grinned at him. "Well, I think I know what's going on here. You brought me out here because you wanted something from me, is that right?"

" _Let! Rowlet!_ " Rowlet nodded.

"Well, what is it?"

Before Rowlet had a chance to answer, a net suddenly appeared and trapped them, holding them captive in midair. "Hey!" Ash cried. "What is this?!"

" _Rowlet! Row row!_ " Rowlet cried.

"Of all the dirty rotten –" Ash grumbled to himself. "What a fine time to get stuck in one of Team Rocket's traps."

"Huh? I thought you guys said you didn't set dat trap!"

"We didn't!"

Ash looked to the side in confusion and saw a familiar threesome stuck in the same net as him. "What?" he blinked. "Team Rocket? Did you guy get stuck in your own trap or something?"

"No!" Jessie retorted. "We didn't set these traps!"

"We got caught in them," James moaned.

"Man, these nets are tough!" Meowth said, sharpening his claws. "I can't break 'em!"

"But if you didn't set these traps, then who did?" Ash asked.

" _That_ thing did," they replied in unison, pointing down at what appeared to be a Pikachu.

"Huh?" Ash wondered. "What is that?"

"It's a Pokemon," Meowth replied. "We thought it was your Pikachu and tried to steal it. Turns out, it's not a Pikachu at all. It's a Mimikyu!"

"Mimikyu, huh?" Ash repeated. "Well, why did it trap us up here?"

"Your guess is as good as ours, twerp," Jessie mumbled.

* * *

"This match will be a one-on-one battle," Hala declared. "Trainers, choose your Pokemon!"

"Well, Popplio?" May smiled at her Pokemon as she held it in her arms. "Are you ready for your first battle?"

" _Io?_ " Popplio said, looking a little nervous.

May blinked. "Do you not want to battle? In that case, I'll have to pick–"

" _Bwark!_ " Popplio suddenly exclaimed, leaping out of her arms and onto the battlefield. It stood on its tail and struck a confident pose.

"All right!" May cheered. "It's your time to shine, Popplio!"

"And May chooses Popplio!" Hala grinned. He turned to Hau. "Go on, son."

"All right!" Hau grinned likewise. "Let's go, Litten!" He tossed a Pokeball and released his first Pokemon.

" _Meow_!" the Fire Cat Pokemon meowed. Maintaining a cool demeanor, it started licking its paw.

"And Hau chooses Litten," Hala said. "It's May's Popplio versus Hau's Litten. Let the battle begin!"

"All right!" Hau cheered. "Litten, use Scratch!"

" _Mrrrrrrowr!_ " Litten growled, rushing forward and swiping at Popplio. The Sea Lion Pokemon took the attack, wincing slightly.

"Don't let it get to you, Popplio!" May called. "Use Pound to counterattack!"

" _Io!_ " Popplio nodded. It jumped up, somersaulted and swatted Litten over the head with its glowing tail.

"Now, follow it up with Water Gun!" May said. Popplio rebounded off of Litten's head and released a stream of water that hit Litten hard. The kitten scampered back and bristled its fur.

"Litten, use Ember!" Hau called. Litten obeyed and fired a flaming hairball from its mouth.

"Popplio, swat it back with Pound!"

"What?!" Hau exclaimed.

"Interesting," Lillie said softly while Pikachu just grinned. Popplio didn't seem to hesitate as it used its tail to smack the hairball back at Litten. Litten wasn't too hurt, since the attack wasn't too effective, but it was starting to get tired.

"Litten! Use Scratch again!" Hau commanded. Litten rushed forward.

"Predictable," May smirked with a flip of her hair. "Popplio! Bounce over it and finish this with Water Gun!"

" _Io! PoppppppLIO!_ " Popplio said, bouncing off the ground right as Litten was about to strike. It then fired a full-force Water Gun that hit Litten at point-blank range. When the attack ended, Popplio landed on its tail, striking its confident pose, and Litten was laying on the ground, knocked out.

"Litten is unable to battle; Popplio wins," Hala declared. "The winner of the match is May Maple!"

"All right!" May cheered. "We did it, Popplio!" She ran up and scooped up her new Pokemon in a hug.

" _Bwark!_ " Popplio barked happily.

" _Pi-Pikachu!_ " Pikachu cheered.

Hau recalled Litten. "Good work, Litten," he said. "We'll get her next time!" He looked up and smiled at May. "Hoo-ee! That gave me chicken skin!"

"Like I said," she smirked. "I'm not a beginner. You still have a long ways to go before you can beat me."

"I'll say. Your Popplio was awesome! Next time we battle I'll have to go all out!"

"Yes," Hala nodded, looking at May. "I appreciate you going all out on my grandson, though I must confess I found your battle style to be rather unorthodox compared to what I usually see."

"Yeah," May agreed. "That's because I'm technically not a Pokemon trainer."

"Huh?" everyone said, turning their gaze towards May in intrigue.

"I'm actually a Pokemon coordinator who competes in Pokemon Contests. I'm looking to become a Top Coordinator, so when I battle, I use a different style from the usual trainer."

"I see," Hala grinned. "Well, I must say you're quite skilled, young lady!"

"Thank you," she bowed politely. As she did so, a certain object that was connected to a keychain on her side suddenly glinted in the sun's light. Hala's eyebrows rose on seeing this, and he stepped forward.

"Hm?" he said. "May, would you mind if I take a look at that sparkling stone you have hanging there?

"Hm? Oh, yes of course!" May said, handing him the sparkling stone that appeared to be a Z-Ring.

Hala held the stone in the palm of his hand, seemingly in awe. "Could it be?!"

"Tutu, isn't that –?" Hau started.

"May," Hala continued, "you were rescued by Tapu Koko at the bridge, correct?"

"Yeah, that's right," May said. "That was when Lillie found that stone. She said she thought it was for me."

"I see," Hala nodded. "So it even deigned to give you a stone. Your coming to Alola is no simple coincidence, then. Allow me to borrow this stone for now, and I shall return it to you by tonight."

"I see," May replied with a smile. "Thank you, Kahuna."

"And one more thing," the Kahuna went on. "You must do us the honor of joining us in our festival tonight!"

"Festival?" May blinked.

"Yes," Hala nodded. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be off. Kahuna business, you know." With that, the Kahuna of Melemele Island strode away.

"See ya later, May!" Hau called as he followed his grandfather.

"Bye Hau!" May replied with a smile as they walked away.

" _Pika!_ " Pikachu waved as well. That reminded Lillie of something.

"I wonder where Ash is," she said, putting her hand on her chin.

"Heh," Kukui chuckled, pointing behind her. "I think you should worry less about him when you have a Pokemon you can barely keep track of."

Lillie turned around and saw Nebby floating around, grinning innocently. "Oh, you!" she moaned. "Would you try not to escape the very moment you were told not to wander off?" Kukui chuckled with May.

"But now that I think about it," May mused, "where _is_ Ash?"

* * *

"You lousy little brat of a Pokemon!" James yelled down at Mimikyu. "You let us out of here right now! This isn't funny!"

Mimikyu did nothing but stare up at them, seemingly mocking them. "It's not lissenin,'" Meowth grumbled. "Dis thing wants us ta suffer!"

"Why, if I had my Gourgeist with me, I'd beat you to a pulp!" Jessie growled.

As the unfortunate trio continued to bicker and growl at Mimikyu from their net, Ash and Rowlet remained quiet in their net.

"I don't recognize this material," Ash said as he ran his finger over the net's material. "Is it only found in Alola? Or did Mimikyu make it?"

"Somebody let us outta here!" Meowth shouted.

"Contemptible," a new voice suddenly said. "Is there really nothing you can do? I've never seen anything so pathetic, and that's saying something, because I work with a pathetic lot."

"Huh?" Team Rocket said. "Who said that?" James wondered.

"That voice," Ash said softly. "I recognize it."

The voice's owner revealed himself. It was the same young man Ash ran into the day before when he met Rowlet. "So you got caught in this Mimikyu's trap, did you? Hmph. Your loss. Normally I'd leave the lot of you to rot, but I'll show some grace...for once." With that, he chucked a Pokeball, releasing a strange, quadruped Pokemon.

"What is that?" Ash wondered.

" _Rowlet?_ " Rowlet wondered as well.

"Null, use X-Scissor," the young man commanded. The Pokemon obeyed, leaping up with difficulty to slice Ash's net open, dropping him to the ground and freeing him. He splatted onto the ground face-first, then got up with stars swirling around his head.

"Whew!" he said. "Thanks for your help."

"Don't mention it," his companion replied as he recalled his Pokemon.

Ash blinked. "You're not gonna help Team Rocket?"

The young man looked up at the trio still in the net. " _This_ is Team Rocket?" he said. He sounded incredulous.

"Well, it's a few of their members," Ash explained. "They've been hounding me to steal my Pikachu since I began my journey."

"I ain't no hound, I'm a Meowth!" Meowth growled, indignant.

"You know what I mean," Ash replied with a deadpan expression.

"Hmph," the young man grunted and turned away. "If this is really Team Rocket, then they deserve no sympathy."

"What?" Ash exclaimed. "You mean you're just gonna leave them there?!"

"Why should I help them?" he glared at Ash. "They steal Pokemon for a living, don't they?"

"Yeah, but they're still living things! If they're in trouble, we can't just leave them!"

"Hmph," was all the young man said in reply. Ash shook his head.

"Nice attitude you have there," he said sarcastically. "What kind of psycho was your mother, huh?"

Suddenly, the young man whirled around and seized Ash by the collar of his shirt. His face, previously a perpetual frown, was twisted into a rage Ash didn't think any human being was capable of until now. " _WHAT_ did you just say?!" he snarled.

"Uh, uh, uh," Ash stammered, terrified by his companion's sudden change in demeanor. "N-nothing! I was just...uh...wondering if you wanted to battle later! Yeah, that's it! Battle! Heh! You and me! Whataya say?" At this, the young man let go of his shirt, but he maintained a fierce glare that cut daggers into Ash. _This guy looks like a killer_ he thought.

"Then I'll see you after the festival tonight," he snarled, turning and walking away. " _DON'T_ keep me waiting."

As the young man walked away, Ash's expression changed from one of fear to curiosity. "What was that all about?" he wondered.

" _Let?_ " Rowlet wondered as well.

"Hey, twerp!" Jessie called. "You gonna leave us hanging here?"

Ash looked up at them and shrugged. "Go ahead, Rowlet," he said. "Get 'em outta there."

" _Rowlet!_ " Rowlet cheered. It flitted up and pulled at the net with its beak, ripping it open and freeing Team Rocket.

"Owch!" they cried. "That didn't feel good," James mumbled.

"At least we're free," Meowth grinned. "Now let's steal that Rowlet!"

"I don't think so," Ash retorted, his expression hardening. "Rowlet, blast them away with Razor Leaf!" Rowlet stirred up a flurry of leaves and sent them flying at the trio. The attack hit its target dead-on and sent them flying into the sky.

"Nice work," Ash grinned, holding his arm out. Rowlet landed, and the two of them smiled at each other.

"Ash!"

"Huh?" he said, turning to see May rushing up to him.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he nodded.

She saw Rowlet on his arm. "Why did Rowlet steal your hat again?"

Ash looked at Rowlet in confusion. "I'm still not sure," he said. "But I wonder...Rowlet, did you want to join us?"

" _Let! Rowlet!_ " Rowlet nodded eagerly.

"Oh, okay!" Ash smiled. "I'd love to have you come along!" He opened a small pocket in his backpack and shuffled around in it. "Uh-oh," he mumbled.

"What is it?" May asked.

"I...heh heh," Ash chuckled nervously, putting a hand behind his head. "I think I'm out of Pokeballs."

"Well, that's no good," May huffed, putting her hands on her hips. "You irresponsible loaf! How are we –"

" _Rowlet!_ " Rowlet suddenly chirped, hopping into the pocket on Ash's backpack. Ash and May looked at each other in confusion.

"Well, I guess that solves that issue!" May giggled.

"Yup!" Ash laughed with her. "Let's go home and show Mom our new Pokemon!"

"Yeah!" With that, the two trainers ran home.

* * *

 **If you were hoping for an epic first battle between May and Hau, sorry to disappoint. I mean, it is their first battle after all.**

 **What do you think? Feel free to rate and review, but no flames please!**


	12. Chapter 1-7: All for Null

**The soundtrack for Pokemon Sun & Moon is now available on iTunes. It's a pretty spectacular soundtrack if you ask me.**

 **In other news, I just caught a Jangmo-o.**

* * *

Chapter 1-7: All for Null

Later that evening, the festival began as the sun prepared to descend below the horizon. As everyone enjoyed the festivities, Hau stood near the battlefield, tapping his foot impatiently. "Where are they?" he mumbled.

"Getting anxious, my boy?" Hala asked, walking up to him from behind.

"I wanna see Ash and May again," Hau nodded, turning to his grandfather. "I wanna battle!"

"Relax, Hau," a familiar voice grinned. "We're here."

" _Pikachu_."

Hau turned and saw Ash and May walking towards him. "Man, you guys are mean!" he grinned. "I thought you'd never make it! Me and Litten've been waiting for ages!" Litten just rolled its eyes.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" May grinned. "Let's have another battle!"

"Whoa, hold on!" Hau said, putting his hands out. "Didn't anyone explain to you about tonight?"

"Huh?" Ash blinked. "Well, no. We were hoping we'd find out here. What's this festival all about?"

"Oh yeah, right on time!"

They turned around and saw Kukui and Lillie standing beside them. "To what?" Lillie asked.

" _Pew!_ " came a voice from her bag. She held her bag tight to stop it from wriggling out.

"A full-powered festival for Pokemon battling!" Kukui replied. "We battle in the name of Tapu Koko, pitting our best moves against one another in friendly competition to please our guardian. Woo!"

"Heh," Ash chuckled. "That's what I do all the time. I guess a festival would make it extra special, though."

"Maybe," May said with a giggle, "but you'd probably beat everyone here to a pulp."

"True," Ash grinned cheekily. "Guess I'll hold off for now."

" _Chaaaaaa_ ," Pikachu agreed.

"Well if it's a battle you're looking for, then you can battle me, yeah," the professor grinned at him.

"Sounds great!" Ash smirked. "Let's do it!"

"Okay," Lillie said softly. "I don't really like seeing Pokemon fight one another, since they tend to get hurt. But it seems like this is an important event, so I'll watch you both."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Hala grinned. "Let us begin!"

* * *

The festival lasted several hours, and by the time it ended, the moon was shining high in the sky. By this point, everyone had gone home and was asleep, including Hau, Kukui, Lillie, and Hala. Only Ash and May were still there, hanging around the battlefield.

"Hey Ash," May asked after a while, "is there a reason we're still here?"

"Yeah," Ash said. "Someone challenged me to a battle earlier today. He said to meet him after the festival. I assume he meant here, but I'm starting to wonder if he had somewhere else in mind." He stood up. "I guess I'll go look around and see if I can find him."

"Don't bother," a now-familiar voice abruptly stopped him. "I was just waiting for things to quiet down."

The couple turned, startled, and saw the young man from earlier walk up, a hand on his hip.

"Ash, who is this?" she asked, frowning skeptically.

"This is –" Ash started, but he abruptly stopped. "Oh...um...we actually haven't introduced ourselves!" He sweatdropped. "This is awkward."

" _Chaaaaa_ ," Pikachu agreed.

Ash turned to his companion and extended his hand. "My name's Ash Ketchum. I'm from Pallet Town in Kanto."

The young man glared at his hand, then folded his arms, indicating he wouldn't shake his hand. "I'm Gladion," he said simply.

Ash blinked after a moment of silence. "Is that all?" he asked. "Just Gladion? Don't you have a last name like me?"

"No," he replied curtly.

"Oh come on, everyone has a last name," he grinned playfully, putting his hands on his hips. "Heck, you can even make one up if you want! How about Gladion, son of – er, who are your parents? Gladion, son of –"

" _I HAVE NO PARENTS_ ," Gladion snarled, that look of rage returning to his eyes once again.

"Ah!" May shivered, crouching behind Ash in fear.

"Oh, jeez, sorry! I forgot," Ash said, holding up his hands in apology. "Don't talk about the parents, yeah, that's right. Sorry! Won't happen again, I promise!"

"Hmph," was all Gladion said in response as his face softened into his usual frown. "Let's just get this over with." He stepped onto one side of the battlefield and pulled out a Pokeball. He was about the throw it when he saw that Ash was still standing where he was. "You coming or not?" he snapped.

"Oh, yeah!" Ash nodded, snapping out of his stupor. He stood opposite his companion after handing his backpack to May. Rowlet watched from inside it.

"I never turn down a challenge," Gladion said, "but if you want, you can call the battle off."

"Why would I do that?" Ash asked in confusion.

"Because your Pokemon are only going to get hurt," his opponent replied.

That caught Ash off-guard. He frowned in irritation at his opponent. "We'll see about that," he growled.

"Ash, don't get carried away," May said. "This guy's a jerk. You can beat him!"

" _Bwark!_ " Popplio cheered.

" _Let! Rowlet!_ " Rowlet cheered as well.

"Thanks guys," he smiled at them, then turned to Pikachu with a battle-ready expression. "You ready for this, buddy?"

" _Pikachu!_ " Pikachu mirrored his grin. He jumped off his shoulder and stood in front of him, ready for battle.

"Hmph," Gladion mumbled, glancing at May before looking back at his opponent. "Nice girl," he said so no one could hear. "Bad judge of character, though. Let's go, Null!" he called, throwing his Pokeball and releasing his Pokemon. It rumbled with a growl as it stared Pikachu down.

"Are you ready, Gladion?" Ash asked with a challenging grin.

Gladion placed his hand on his forehead like he did when they first met. "Ready and able. Null, open this up with Tackle!"

The strange Pokemon called Null ran forward, but it was sluggish as it approached Pikachu. "Huh," Ash mused. "Not the fastest hedgehog on the block, are you? Pikachu, let's make this a contest of speed. Use Quick Attack!"

" _Pika!_ " Pikachu said, darting around Null as the larger Pokemon slowed to a halt. It tried to follow Pikachu's movements, but it could barely turn its head. Then Pikachu rammed into its side, knocking it off balance. It quickly recovered, however, and glared at Pikachu.

"Tackle again!" Gladion commanded. Null ran forward, repeating the same action as before. Pikachu retaliated with the same strategy, using Quick Attack to avoid it and then striking it.

"All right," Ash grinned. "Now, use Thunderbolt!"

" _Piiikaaaa...CHUUUUUUU!_ " Pikachu cried, unleashing its signature move. Null took the full force of the attack. Though the attack clearly took its toll, Null remained standing, seemingly unfazed.

"Wow," Ash said with an impressed smile. "Your Pokemon's taking my attacks like a tank. But you're going to have to fight back with a different strategy if you want to win."

"No I won't," Gladion muttered under his breath, his hand still on his forehead. "Null, use one more Tackle. Then we'll finish this off!"

"Finish this off?" May repeated, confused. "But he hasn't done any damage. What is he –"

"Pikachu, dodge with Quick Attack! Then follow up with Iron Tail!"

Pikachu did this and struck Null over its helmet with Iron Tail. Null groaned loudly in pain, digging its claws into the wood.

"Now we're getting somewhere!" Ash grinned.

"I agree," Gladion nodded, a sudden gleam in his eye. "Null, it's time to show this know-nothing your real power!"

Null nodded, then suddenly started to glow a bright red. Ash and May's eyes widened.

"What is that?" Ash wondered.

"If that's what I think it is…" May said quietly, then she turned to Ash in a near-panic. "Ash! Watch out!"

"Null!" Gladion commanded, clenching his fists and holding them in front of him, "Use _RAGE_!"

The glowing Null raised its head up with a cry of victory, then charged towards Pikachu. Pikachu was so caught off-guard it didn't have time to think.

"Pikachu, get outta there!" Ash cried to no avail. Pikachu took the full force of Null's attack and fell down at Ash's feet. The energy radiated off of him for a moment before it dissipated completely. His eyes were replaced by swirls; he was defeated. "Are you okay, Pikachu?" Ash asked, kneeling down and cradling his best friend in his arms.

" _Pika_ ," Pikachu smiled weakly.

"Good work, Null," Gladion said, recalling his Pokemon. "Rest up for the next match." He put his Pokeball away and strode up to Ash. "I told you your Pokemon would only get hurt."

"Yeah, well at least he got hurt battling for a friend rather than some power-hungry jerk like you!" Ash snapped back.

"Ash!" May exclaimed disapprovingly as she walked up to him.

"What?!" he retorted, glaring at her. When he saw the gaze in her eyes, however, he softened and turned back to Gladion. "Sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to snap."

"Hmph," was all Gladion said in reply. He put his hand on his forehead. "That was interesting."

"Huh?" Ash and May said.

"Was your Pikachu intimidated at all when I sent out Null?" he asked.

" _Pika pika_ ," Pikachu shook his head.

"No, huh?" Gladion mused. Then he looked at Ash. "I'm impressed. I've battled many trainers with Null, but your Pikachu is the first Pokemon we've fought who wasn't scared by Null's appearance."

"Really?" Ash said.

"I'm a little surprised myself," May agreed. "That Null thing looks freakish. What kind of psycho would create a monster like that?"

Gladion glared at her with that rage again, dropping his arms. Frightened, she hid behind Ash. Ash returned Gladion's glare, though not with the same ferocity. "Don't scare my girlfriend like that," he growled.

"Then don't insult my partner," Gladion said, softening his glare.

"Deal," Ash agreed, extending his hand to shake. Once again, Gladion refused, so Ash retracted it.

"As I was saying," Gladion went on, "I don't know if your Pikachu is strong. I'm pretty sure he didn't show his full power in this battle. But I must commend you two for your guts. It takes someone special to stare down something like Null without fear."

"Oh," Ash replied in surprise. "Um...thanks."

"Hmph," he went on, putting his hand on his forehead once again. "I expect we will cross paths again. And when we do, I expect our next battle to be a bit more interesting."

"Oh, don't worry, it will," Ash grinned, pumping his fist. "You've only gotten a taste of our power!"

" _Pikachu!_ " Pikachu agreed, weakly but passionately.

"Fine, then," Gladion said, turning and walking away. "Go home and get out of here."

"Uh...okay," Ash shrugged, puzzled by the abrupt departure. He turned to May as he put on his backpack. "Come on. Let's go get some rest."

"Sounds good to me," May nodded. With that, they set off for home.

"Wait a moment you two!"

They stopped in their tracks at the sound of Hala's familiar voice; they turned and saw the kahuna walking up to them briskly. "Kahuna?" Ash blinked.

"I'd almost forgotten," he said when he reached them. "I think it's time you take these." He handed them both brand new, shining Z-Rings.

They held their rings in their hands and stared at them for a moment. "Wow," May said. "It looks...beautiful."

"Mine looks good as new," Ash smiled.

"I spent all day crafting that sparkling stone into the Z-Ring you have now," Hala smiled at May, then looked at Ash. "And yours had quite a few shards lodged in it. More than usual, to be sure, but nothing old Hala can't handle. Go on, now: put them on!"

Both of them stretched out her left arms and slipped the bracelets onto their wrists. Ash's face broke out into a grin. "It fits perfectly!" he exclaimed. "It's like Tapu Koko made these just for us!"

" _Pikachu!_ " Pikachu agreed.

Hala nodded. "A Z-Ring has the ability to draw out the power that lies deep within Pokemon," he said. "It can bring forth their Z-Power!"

"Z-Power?" Ash repeated, intrigued. He looked at Pikachu in curiosity. "Is that how Pikachu powered up his Thunderbolt those two times?"

" _Pika pika_ ," Pikachu breathed.

"It certainly is," Hala nodded.

"But why did the Z-Crystal break?"

"As I said before," Hala went on, "only one who takes the Island Challenge can wield Z-Power. Therefore, it is to your benefit that you take the challenge and collect Z-Crystals in order to draw out your Pokemon's Z-Power!"

"The Island Challenge," May mused. She looked at Ash in curiosity. He was still admiring his new Z-Ring, but his eyes sparkled with a thirst for adventure that she recognized all too well.

"If Tapu Koko gave you this Z-Ring," Hala went on, "then it must have something special in mind for you. After all, our guardian is quite the fickle creature."

"Something special?" Ash thought out loud. "Like a mission?"

"But why?" May wondered. "And why us?"

"That, I cannot say," Hala chuckled. "But perhaps you will be able to. Perhaps if you visit all the islands of Alola, you will find just what it is that Tapu Koko sees in you."

Ash and May looked at each other a moment, then smiled back at the kahuna. "Thank you, Kahuna," Ash said. "We should probably go home, now."

"Farewell, children," the kahuna nodded. With that, he returned to his lodging.

"So, Ash," May smiled, "where do we go from here?"

Ash smiled, placed his arm around her shoulder and kissed her cheek. "We can figure that out in the morning. Right now, let's get some sleep."

"Sounds like a plan," May nodded. With that, they walked back down the path to their condo.

* * *

 **Sorry I cut the festival short. I didn't want this chapter to drag. Feel free to rate and review, but no flames please!**


	13. Chapter 1-8: Breakfast

**I'd like to thank all of you once again for making this my most popular story in my three years on this website. This story gained more favs and follows in 30 days than any other story I've posted.**

 **Also, I apologize for not updating sooner. I have my reasons. Unfortunately, I can't remember them.**

* * *

Chapter 1-8: Breakfast

"Such a beautiful evening," Delia smiled as she held out her arms, basking in the light of the full moon. "It makes me want to stay in Alola forever."

"Mom! We're home!"

She turned, walked back in and saw Ash and May walk in. Pikachu was cradled in Ash's arms, weary but happy.

"Looks like Pikachu needs a nap!" she grinned. "Were you two in a battle again?"

"Yup," Ash said. "We ended up losing."

"Oh," she said sympathetically. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Mom," he smiled in response. "I really didn't know what I was up against."

"A powerful Pokemon?"

"Actually, we really don't know," May said. "I've never even heard of a Pokemon that looked as strange as that one."

"Is that right? What was it called?"

"Null?" Ash mumbled as he laid Pikachu on his bed. "Gladion called it Null." He stood up and put his chin in his hand. "Kind of a strange name for a Pokemon."

"Well it _was_ a strange Pokemon, Ash," May said. "Seems fitting that it would get a strange name."

"I suppose," Ash nodded, although he wasn't fully satisfied.

"Well, good night, you two," Delia said with a smile as she went to her room. The lights in there quickly went off.

"Good night, Mom," Ash replied, as did May. He turned to her and smiled. "You going to sleep as well?"

"Yep," she nodded. "Good night, Ash."

"Good night, May," he replied. They leaned towards each other and briefly kissed before going to bed. The rest of the night passed peacefully, and before they knew it the sun was rising once again.

Ash's peaceful, dreamless slumber was interrupted by a knock on his door. He blinked and groaned before sitting up, rubbing his eyes. "Hrm?" he grunted.

"Ash? Are you awake?"

It was May. He yawned and smacked his lips, then he stood up. "Am now," he said with a smile. He wore a black t-shirt and boxers to bed. "What's up?"

"We have a visitor."

"A visitor?" he blinked. "Well if it's the professor, then he'll probably just let himself in."

"Then it's probably not him," she replied. "Whoever's at the door hasn't let themselves in. Plus they were kinda feeble in knocking."

"I see," Ash nodded, folding his arms with a playful smirk. Pikachu started to rouse itself. "Thank you for your elaborate critique of our visitor's exquisite knock." They giggled at that.

"Well, we'd best not leave them hanging," May said. Once Pikachu was on Ash's shoulder, they opened the door and walked out to find a familiar figure.

"Lillie!" Ash exclaimed happily.

"Oh!?" The girl whirled around, seemingly shocked. "Oh, it's you," she said, calming down.

"Of course it's us," May said, puzzled. "Who else would it be?"

"Um," Lillie stammered, "Sorry. The professor sent me here."

"Oh yeah?" Ash smiled. "What for?"

"He said," she went on, doing her best impression of the professor as she could, "'Hey there, Lillie! Bring me that Ash kid. Woo!'"

Ash laughed at that. May glared at him, prompting him to stop. "Sorry," he shrugged sheepishly.

"It's fine," Lillie smiled softly. "It's kinda nice having someone to laugh with."

"Hm?" they said in unison. "What do you mean?" Ash asked.

" _Pika_?" Pikachu said.

"Never mind," Lillie shook her head. "I'm here to show you the way to his Pokemon lab, if you'll come with me." She pointed down the hill. "It's this way."

"Ash? May?"

"Huh?" everyone said, turning towards the door. Delia was standing there, looking at everyone curiously.

"Leaving already?" she said. "The sun's just starting to rise."

"Sorry Mom," Ash shrugged. "Lillie just asked us to come with her to the professor's lab."

"Hm?" she blinked, looking at Lillie, then smiled. "Ah, I should've known you were already making friends here, Ash. And what a cute little friend you've found!"

"Oh!" Lillie exclaimed in surprise. "You mean me? Well...thank you." She bowed politely, blushing profusely. "My name is Lillie. It's very nice to meet you. You're Ash's mother?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Would you like anything to eat, Lillie? Mimey and I can cook you guys an early breakfast if you want!"

"That'd be awesome!" Ash grinned.

"How 'bout it, Lillie?" May smiled at their friend.

"Oh...um, thank you," she said with a shake of the head, "but Professor Kukui wanted me to bring these two back to his lab. He's kinda impatient this morning, so I don't want to disappoint him."

"Oh, I'm sure the professor will understand," Delia said, unshaken. "He's seems like a very nice man."

"Trust me, Lillie," Ash grinned, "you won't regret sticking around for breakfast."

" _Pikachu_!" Pikachu agreed with a smile, even though the only thing he was thinking about was a nice bottle of ketchup.

"I-I'm sorry," she stammered, "but we really should be going to the lab. The professor –"

"Oh, don't mind the professor," Delia waved a dismissive hand. "It simply won't do for you to go about your business without taking the most important meal of the day. I insist on it." Before Lillie could protest again, everyone walked back inside while Delia and Mimey prepared a small but sizable feast for them. It didn't take long before breakfast was ready. Delia brought over several stacks of pancakes and two gallons of syrup.

"My word!" Lillie exclaimed. "Isn't this a bit much for such a small household?"

"Not for these two," Delia grinned. "Their appetites put a Snorlax to shame!"

Lillie didn't have to wait long to see what Ash's mother meant. Before she had even grabbed something to eat, Ash and May had already taken two pancakes. They immediately began devouring them. Though they weren't slobs, the pace at which they ate still shocked Lillie.

"Goodness!" she exclaimed again when they were halfway through their second helpings. "What kind of gluttons are you?!"

"Hrm?" Ash and May looked up, their mouths full of food. They quickly swallowed. "What do you mean 'gluttons?'" Ash blinked. "This is how we always eat."

"Oh," Lillie said, looking down at her empty plate. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend anyone."

"It's fine," May grinned cheerily. "You're not the first!"

Delia looked at Lillie's empty plate in confusion. "Aren't you hungry, dear?" Ash and May looked at her as well, concerned and confused when she didn't respond to Delia's question.

Lillie looked up suddenly and blinked. "Oh! Were you speaking to me?"

Ash and May looked at each other, genuinely surprised at their new friend's strange behavior. "Of course I was!" Delia said, also surprised. "Your plate is completely empty! Do you not like pancakes?"

"Pancakes," Lillie said, eyeing the food on the table while hiding the fact that she'd never heard of pancakes before. "I…"  
"Are you allergic to gluten?" May asked.

"Here we go again," Ash mumbled.

" _Pika_ ," Pikachu said likewise.

"Here," Delia said, giving her an apple. "Maybe a different diet would do you good."

Lillie looked at the green apple, then smiled gratefully as she took it. "Thank you," she said. May smiled while Ash looked devastated.

"Aw, man," he moaned. "That's the last of the apples."

"Oh, give me a break, you silly boy," Delia chuckled. "I can always buy more in town."

"You don't happen to have a knife, do you?" Lillie asked.

May blinked, confused. "What for?"

"To cut the apple, of course!" the girl in white replied as though it were obvious. Delia didn't hesitate. She brought a knife and cut the apple into several small pieces. "Thank you," Lillie said in response, and she gratefully but carefully began to eat the apple slices.

Breakfast ended soon after, and the three of them, along with Pikachu, prepared to go to Kukui's lab. "Enjoy yourselves out there," Delia called after them, "and don't be gone too long!"

"Thanks, Mom!" Ash replied. With that, they set off for the lab.

"You...have a very nice mother," Lillie commented as they walked.

"Yeah," Ash nodded, his expression turning to one of slight guilt. "I really should be spending more time with her, though. I mean, that's why we're out here in Alola, after all."

"Right," Lillie said, suddenly hurried. "The lab's over here. Come on!" She rushed towards a small building a short but sizable distance away.

Ash blinked. "That's the lab?" he said.

"It's built on sand?" May wondered.

"Huh," Ash mumbled. "I sure hope there aren't that many storms out here in Alola. That lab's gonna crumble like a sandcastle Pokemon." He put his chin in his hand. "I wonder if there's a Pokemon like that here in Alola." He and May started walking towards the lab. "There are a lot of strange things here in Alola."

"And strange people," May agreed. "I've never seen anyone behave that way at breakfast before!"

Ash blinked. "What was wrong with how she acted?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing was wrong," May replied, "but she seemed so reluctant to eat, and she was shocked when she saw us Grumpigging out like usual. Then your mom gave her that apple and she asked for it to be cut." She looked at Ash in confusion. "I can't help but wonder what it is that makes her act so...strange."

"I suppose," Ash mused. "Well, let's not keep the professor waiting. After all, Lillie said he was impatient this morning, and we've already kept him waiting longer than usual."

"Yeah," May nodded with a smile. They walked down the path towards the lab.

* * *

 **This chapter focused quite a bit on Lillie. I hope I didn't put too much focus on her. What do you think? Feel free to rate and review, but no flames, please!**


	14. Chapter 1-9: The Picture in the Lab

**Sorry to keep you waiting!**

* * *

Chapter 1-9: The Picture in the Lab

"Oh yeah, Rockruff! Let's go! Give it everything you got!"

Ash blinked in confusion when he heard the professor's voice inside the lab. "What's going on in there?"

"Oh," Lillie said, turning to him. "Well, you see…"

"My body is ready! Woo!"

"His body is what?" May blinked as well. "What is he up to?"

"The professor…" Lillie started again, but she was interrupted by a loud clattering from within the lab. Ash and May winced. "He never stops researching Pokemon moves. Not even when he's in the lab."

"Sounds kinda like Professor Birch," Ash chuckled.

" _Pika pika_ ," Pikachu agreed, rubbing its head in embarrassment.

"On steroids," May added. They chuckled at that.

"Guess we'll have to patch the roof...again," Lillie shrugged. "Plus I'll have to mend his clothes again...right after I finished cleaning his lab coat, too! Ugh," she mumbled irritably. "Being an assistant can be such a chore at times."

"So why don't you become a trainer?" Ash asked. "There's a whole world out there to explore, you know. And hey, you've got...er, what's its name again?"

"Nebby," Lillie replied.

"Right," Ash nodded. "Since you have a Pokemon of your own, what's stopping you from going on an adventure?"  
"It's...personal," Lillie replied hesitantly.

"Personal, hm?" May mused. "Well whatever your reason is, it must be a good one if it's personal." She gave Ash a peculiar look as though to convey a message. He noticed this and nodded in understanding.

"We should probably go inside before he does any more damage," Lillie suggesting hurriedly.

"I heard that!" they heard the professor say from inside. They all sweatdropped and walked in. Sure enough, as Lillie predicted, the lab was a bit of a mess, though nowhere near as bad as she made it seem. There was, however, a hole in the roof, just like Lillie said.

"Hey there, Ash! May! Thanks for getting them for me, Lillie," the professor said, walking up to Ash and then turning to his assistant.

"Of course," Lillie nodded, smiling slightly.

"Rockruff's moves were really stylin'," the professor went on, "and I was making good progress with my research."

"Wow," May said. "When you said you let yourself get hit with all kinds of moves, you weren't kidding, were you?"

"Not in a million years, yeah!" Kukui grinned. "Say, you don't happen to have that Pokedex I gave you, do you?"

"Of course we do!" Ash replied, pulling it out. "We never go on an adventure without it."

"Great! Lemme see it for a second, yeah?" the professor asked. Ash nodded and handed it to him. Almost immediately after doing so, a shadowy claw suddenly shot through the hole in the roof and snatched Pikachu off Ash's shoulder, dragging him up.

"Hey!" Ash exclaimed, looking up and seeing Team Rocket and their new Mimikyu having stolen Pikachu. "Pikachu!?"  
"Prepare for trouble, straight up from this hole!"

"Make it double, then make it whole!"

There was a brief pause. Then Meowth looked between the two of them in confusion. "Guys, you just used the same two words in the first two lines of the motto."

"Huh?" Jessie blinked. "No we didn't."

"We never do that," James said.

"But you just did," Meowth replied. "You said 'hole' and 'hole.' How is dat not the same two words?"

As they bickered, Ash glared at them while May rolled her eyes. "Typical," she mumbled, then turned to Lillie. "Guess you really should patch that roof. You never know what might come down from there."

"Yeah," Lillie shrugged.

"I don't have time for this," Ash grumbled, pulling out a Pokeball. "Greninja! Use Night Slash to blast them off!" He chucked the ball and released his Kalosian Pokemon. Greninja proceeded to attack Team Rocket with Night Slash.

"So serious, are you?" Jessie sneered. "Play Rough with him, Mimikyu!"

Mimikyu emitted a rather horrible screeching sound when its claws emerged from beneath its disguise and wrapped around Greninja. Greninja cried out in pain as Mimikyu drew it closer. The ninja frog looked at it disdainfully.

Then Mimikyu peeked out from beneath its disguise. Greninja's eyes widened in horror, and Mimikyu dropped both him and Pikachu (by accident). Ash watched in shock as Greninja fell face-first to the ground, completely unconscious.

"GRENINJA!" he cried, rushing up to his fallen Pokemon. He turned him over and saw his face blackened by Mimikyu's attack.

"Tapu Koko," Kukui whispered in shock.

Ash glared up at Team Rocket in rage. "What did you do to Greninja?!" he screamed.

"Oh, don't worry about your precious little frog," Jessie sneered.

"He'll be sick for weeks thanks to Mimikyu!" Meowth agreed.

"You dirty cowards!" Ash yelled back at them. "You'll pay for that! Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!"

" _Piiiikaaaaaa...CHUUUUUUUUUUU_!" Pikachu, equally angry, screamed as he unleashed his signature move, slamming Team Rocket at point-blank range. They promptly blasted off into the sky, screaming their familiar cry of defeat. When he was sure they were gone, he quickly hauled Greninja up onto a table as though to examine him.

"Oh man," he said softly. "Greninja, are you okay?"  
" _Nin...ja…_ " Greninja croaked weakly, its eyes fluttering open. It looked weakly at its trainer. Then its eyes closed as it fell unconscious once again.

Lillie leaned her head over Greninja's chest. She then stood up again just as quickly. "He's alive," she replied. "But his breathing is deep and shallow."

"I don't think he'll be able to fight for a while," Kukui murmured as he tinkered with the Pokedex.

Ash looked back up at the hole in the roof, anger surging onto his face. "If Team Rocket tries to steal Pikachu again, I'll blast them off into kingdom come!" he growled. Then he stormed out, slamming the lab door behind him with so much force that one of the pictures hanging by the door fell off the wall.

"Augh!" Lillie cried, running up and diving to save it. She had her eyes shut tight, but when she opened them, she saw the picture intact.

"Whew!" Kukui said. "That was a nice save there, Lillie!"

"Seems Ash can do more damage than you can, professor," Lillie mused as she stood up to put the picture back in place.

May didn't say anything. Instead, she ran out quickly to follow Ash.

* * *

Ash stood at the ocean's edge, hands shoved into his pockets as he stared out at the blue sky with a bitter frown. He was breathing rapidly, taking shallow breaths. After a moment, May came up behind him. She tried not to disturb him, but she stepped on something sharp and yelped in pain. To her relief, Ash didn't even flinch. He turned his head slowly to acknowledge her, then turned back to the ocean, sighing deeply. She looked at him sympathetically and put a hand on his shoulder. He lowered his gaze.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

He turned and looked her in the eye, a small smile on his face. "I am now," he said.

"No you're not," she replied. "You're upset."

"You know me too well," he chuckled softly. Then his frown returned, though it was less bitter. "I hate seeing my Pokemon get hurt, but what Team Rocket did to Greninja was on a whole new level."

"What makes you say that?" she asked.

"Gut feeling, I guess," he shrugged. "I don't know exactly what they did, but whatever it was, the pain was so intense I could briefly feel it even though we weren't synchronized."

May's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow," she said. "That's really something. Do you think Greninja will be okay?"

"I hope so," Ash nodded. "At least he's alive. But he won't be fighting for a while, regardless of what the professor says."

May blinked, confused. "But the professor already said he wouldn't be able to fight for a while."

"I know," Ash replied, "but I know how to take care of my Pokemon. I'll send Greninja back home to Professor Oak and then get someone else to take his place for now."

"What then?"

He sighed. "I don't know. I was thinking about taking on that Island Challenge the kahuna was talking about, but I've really been conflicted about it. I came out on vacation to spend time with my family, but I keep finding myself drawn into adventure. Plus, one of the reasons I wanted to take on the Island Challenge was to learn more about the Bond Phenomenon, but now I can't do that since I'm sending Greninja away."

May blinked. "Do you still want to take on the challenge?"

"Of course I do," Ash said softly. "But...I don't know. Something about it all just doesn't set right with me."

After a moment, he felt something grasp his hand. He turned and looked at May, who smiled at him reassuringly. "Do you _really_ want to take on the Island Challenge?" she asked.

"Yeah, I just said that I –" he started, but May stopped him and put a finger over his mouth.

"That was a rhetorical question, Ash," she said. "I think we both know the answer."

She lowered her hand from his face and squeezed his hand softly. When he understood what she meant, he smiled and pulled her into a hug. "Thanks, May," he said.

"Hey, what are friends for?" she replied as she returned the embrace, leaning her head on his shoulder. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply.

* * *

"How much longer do you think it'll be?" Lillie asked the professor as he continued to tinker with the Pokedex.

"Not much longer," Kukui replied.

Lillie looked back at the doorway and at the image Ash almost accidentally broke. Then, after thinking a moment, she took the picture off the wall and brought it up to her loft, where she set it down by a videophone. When she came back down, she saw Ash and May walking back in. Pikachu perked up and ran up to his trainer.

"Hey, buddy," he said. "Sorry about that. I needed a moment to cool off."

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu cooed and nuzzled him.

"All done!" the professor abruptly announced. He turned and handed the modified Pokedex to Ash. May looked at it in curiosity.

"What's with these little appendages on the sides?" she asked. "They weren't here before, were they?" She gently took it and twisted it lightly.

 _Zrrrrrrrrrrrrtt!_

"GAH!" Ash and May squealed in shock. The Pokedex suddenly started floating, and eyes popped up in the two slots on the screen. Then a small smile appeared on the screen.

" _Nice to meet you two! Gentle on the goods, okay?_ "

"Whoa!" Ash exclaimed, his shock swiftly giving way to excitement. "It talks!"

"That's the Rotom Dex," Kukui explained. "It's a special kind of Pokedex that can be inhabited by a Rotom. It's a pretty rare find, even here in Alola."

"Wow," May said. "That is so cool!"

"Oh, man," Ash grinned, his eyes sparkling. "Science is so amazing!"

" _Not azzzzzzz amazing az me, zzrt!_ " Rotom smirked.

" _Pika pikachu_!" Pikachu grinned. Rotom turned and scanned it, registering it in its data.

"Looks like Rotom's taken a liking to you two," Kukui grinned.

"But professor," Lillie said, "why would you give this to them? I mean, I'm not complaining, but you've barely known them for a few days, and yet you just gave them a very special Pokedex. What for?"

"Simple, yeah," the professor said, "Even though Ash and May haven't been in Alola too long, I can tell they're both experienced and kind-hearted when it comes to Pokemon. May risked her life to save your little Nebby, and Ash has a strong sense of justice from what I've seen of him so far. Plus, with the Rotom Dex, they'll have an easier time navigating around!"

"Wow," Ash smiled. "Thanks, professor."

"Nice to meet you, Rotom!" May grinned, tapping the Rotom Dex's screen.

" _Zrrrrrt!_ " it squealed. " _Hey, watch it there! That ticklezzzz!_ " May just giggled.

"Rotom has a map of Alola built into it," Kukui went on. "If you ever need to know where to go, just give it a tap!"

" _Zrrrrt!_ " Rotom glared at him in protest.

"Hey professor?" Ash asked. Kukui turned to him. "Do you have a videophone I could borrow around here? I need to call Professor Oak."

"Oh, man," Kukui moaned. "Sorry, cousin, but Rockruff and I ended up wrecking our phone in that little session we had before you barged in." He pointed to the loft over by the side. "There's another videophone up there, though."

"Huh?" Ash said, coming over to the loft. "Oh, wow, a loft? I haven't seen one of these in ages! That's awesome!"

"No it isn't!" Lillie said, abruptly running in front of him and pushing him away. "It's private! It's not for you!"

"Wauugh!" Ash cried, losing his balance and falling on his back. Lillie gasped and leaned down to help him up.

"I'm so sorry," she said rapidly. "I didn't mean to do that. Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?"

"I'm fine," Ash chuckled as he stood up with her help. "No need to panic." He looked back up at the loft. "So that's where you hang out, is it? Seems pretty cool."

"Yes," she said. "The professor was kind enough to let me use it. And there's a lot of private stuff up there that I'd rather not let other people see."

"Sorry," Ash shrugged. "I didn't know. I just need to get Greninja home to get treated."

"Greninja?" Lillie blinked. She turned and looked at the ninja Pokemon laying on the table. Its condition hadn't changed since Ash left. "Oh," she said softly, looking down. "I...guess you can borrow my phone...if you really need to."

"You sure?" Ash blinked. "If it's not okay with you –"

"No, it's fine," she said. "I'll make an exception for you, since your Pokemon is sick. But no snooping around up there! Make the call then come back down, okay?"

"Okay," Ash smiled. "Thanks again, Lillie." He walked over and recalled Greninja into his Pokeball, then climbed up Lillie's ladder and looked around. "Not much up here that seems private," he thought to himself. He walked over to Lillie's desk and sat down by the videophone. As he dialed Professor Oak's number, he looked to the side and saw two things he realized Lillie was worried about: a diary and a picture.

 _I wonder what she hides in there_ he thought. He grazed his hand over the cover of the diary, but then a memory about what happened the last time he snooped in his girlfriend's diary shot back to the front of his mind. He withdrew his hand from the small booklet as though it were a burning stove. The busy tone from the phone claimed his attention for a moment. He rolled his eyes. _Not again_ he thought. He dialed the number again. As he heard the ringing in the phone, he looked over at the picture, getting a better look.

 _This must be her family_ he thought. They all looked happy, causing him to smile wistfully. _They seem so nice._ Everyone in the picture had bright yellow hair and lime green eyes. He looked at the tall woman in the picture. She was beautiful and showed a smile, but there was something peculiar in her eyes. _That must be her mother._ He saw an enthusiastic little girl in the picture as well, holding a Lillipup on top of her head. He couldn't help but chuckle softly. _That must be Lillie_ he thought. He blinked. _She looks so happy, like she's enjoying herself. I wonder...why isn't she like that with us?_ He shrugged and looked at the last person in the photo: a boy roughly Lillie's height who shared her enthusiasm. _I guess that's her brother or something_ he thought with a smile. Then he blinked as something about the boy caught his eye. He couldn't put his finger on it, though. _He looks familiar_ he thought. _Have I seen him before?_

"Ash?"

"Huh?!" he exclaimed, coming out of his trance. "Oh, professor!"

Professor Oak was on the videophone's screen, looking confused. "What makes you call at a time like this?" he asked. "And what number are you calling from?"

"Sorry, professor," he replied. "It's a personal number. Listen, something happened to Greninja…"

* * *

 **Like I said: sorry it's been so long since I updated. Between finishing school, the holidays and laziness in general, I haven't written in a while. But with 2017 coming up, I plan to change that. I'll get you posted on that in the near future.**

 **As for this chapter: what did you think? Feel free to rate and review!**


	15. Chapter 1-10: A Mother's Joy

Chapter 1-10: A Mother's Joy

"Boy, we sure got it handed to us by the twoip that time," Meowth mumbled as he and his companions dragged themselves through the streets of Hau'oli City.

"I'm not gonna be able to sit comfortably for a week," James agreed, rubbing his rear-end.

"Well it doesn't matter," Jessie smirked. "Our mission was a success. We took care of the twerp's favorite frog for good. Now we won't have to put up with it again!"

"You think Mimikyu was able to kill Greninja?" James asked curiously.

"No, of course not," Meowth butted in. "But it'll be a long time before Froggy can come back and swat us around."

"And that was the idea," Jessie grinned. "Now let's get ready to ambush those twerpish lovebirds when they come back into town!"

"Right!" they all agreed.

" _Woooooobbuffet!_ "

* * *

Ash came down from the loft and placed a Pokeball onto his belt. The others looked at him.

"I sent Greninja back home," he said. "Professor Oak says he has staff treating him immediately. He'll call back with an update soon."

"Will Greninja be okay?" Lillie asked, concerned.

"I think so," he replied. "The professor says he contracted a foreign illness that could be fatal. Thankfully, Team Rocket was kind enough to ensure Greninja didn't die from Mimikyu's attack."

"I'm glad," May said.

Ash smiled at her and slowly walked over to her. He put his hand into hers and slowly interlocked their fingers. She gently squeezed his hand. He looked down at their hands with a smile. Then he noticed something.

"Hey May," he said. "What's that on your belt?"

"Hm?" she blinked.

"That little amulet thing," he said, pointing to a colorful amulet hanging from May's waist.

"Oh!" she said. "This is an island challenge amulet. Kukui gave it to me just now when I told him we would be taking on the Island Challenge together."

"Huh?" Ash blinked. "You told him? I wasn't ready –"

"Yeah you were," May smirked.

"But...I needed to tell Mom. I can't just run off without saying goodbye to her!"

"No, I suppose not," Lillie said quietly.

"Well, if we're heading out on the Island Challenge, we'd better get ready," Ash sighed. "Come on, May. Let's go say goodbye to Mom."

"Right," May nodded. With that, they bade farewell to the professor and headed back to the condo where they were staying. Delia looked up sharply as they entered.

"So how did it go with the professor?" she asked.

"Fine," May smiled. "The professor gave us a cool new Pokedex!"

"Oh, did he?" Delia smirked. "Well that's nothing new."

" _Nothing new, you say?_ " Rotom Dex said, jumping out from behind Ash. " _That'zzzzzzz a good one!_ "

"GAH!" Delia screamed, dropping the dish she was washing in shock. Luckily, it fell into the sink unharmed. Ash burst out laughing at seeing his mother get surprised.

" _Hi! You're Ash'zzzzzzzz mama, right?_ " it went on in front of her cartoonishly shocked face. " _I like your face! Do you like my song?_ "

"No Mom," Ash said, suppressing his laughter. "Nothing new to see here."

"What is that thing?!" she exclaimed.

"It's the Rotom Dex," May explained. "Our Pokedex is inhabited by a Rotom."

" _Zrrt! That'zz right!_ " Rotom Dex said with a grin.

"Oh my," Delia said, calming down. "That's...certainly something. So who owns this cute little guy?"

" _Zrrrt! Excuzzze me?!_ "

"Well, neither of us own him exclusively," Ash shrugged. "He belongs to both of us."

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu nodded.

"Both of you, hm?" she said. Then she burst into a grin. "Oh, it's like the two of you are his parents!"

"WHAT?!" Ash and May cried in shock, their faces turning beet red. Pikachu burst out laughing.

"That is so sweet!" Delia babbled on. "Oh, I can see it now: you're both growing up so fast! Before I know it, you're gonna be married!"

"Whoa, whoa, Mom!" Ash said, waving his arms frantically. "Hold it! We're not even close to that stage yet! For Arceus' sake, I only just turned 18!"

"Sorry," his mother shrugged, embarrassed. "I tend to get carried away like that."

"She has a point," May winked at her boyfriend.

" _Chaaa_ ," Pikachu rubbed his head in embarrassment.

"Anyways," Ash went on, becoming a bit more serious, "Mom, there's something I want to talk to you about."

"Oh?" she said.

"Yeah...and I'd like to do it alone," he said, turning to May and Rotom Dex. "If you guys don't mind."

"Sure," May smiled. "Meet you outside?"

"Yeah," he nodded.

"Okay," she said, leaving with Rotom Dex. "Don't be too long!" she called as she left.

" _I don't see why I had to leave, zrrt_ ," Rotom Dex mumbled.

"Oh, be quiet you," May rolled her eyes.

When they were alone, Ash took a deep breath and turned to his mother. "May and I are going to take on the Island Challenge."

"What?" Delia blinked.

"I know this isn't what you wanted for our vacation," he went on, "but you know how much I hate being cooped up for so long. I mean come on, the month before we came here I had to spend most of my time at home recovering from a coma. On top of that, I've only gotten a taste of the Alola region. I want to see it all: the Pokemon, the people and everything else in between. I know I promised that we'd be spending vacation together, but I really want to see Alola."

Delia quietly listened to her son as he spoke. When he finished, she continued to stand there quietly as though taking in his words. Then she smiled at him. "Have fun out there, Ash. And stay safe for me," she said simply.

"Huh?" he blinked. "You're not upset?"

"Why should I be?" she replied. "My little boy wants to go on another adventure! Who am I to stop him?"

"I don't know," Ash shrugged. "I just don't want you to be spending vacation alone. That's why we came together. I don't like feeling like I make you unhappy by running off all the time."

Delia just chuckled and put her hand on his cheek. "Ash," she said softly, "as much as I want you be with you, I know that keeping you to myself will never make you happy. You weren't made to simply sit around and be a good boy, you know. A mother's greatest joy is seeing her son live his life to the fullest. And when I see you out there living your dream, nothing could make me happier. I so proud of how strong you've gotten with your Pokemon, and I know that this Island Challenge thing will only help you grow stronger." She lowered her hand from his cheek and put it on his shoulder. "Don't feel bad about living your dream, Ash," she said. "When I see you out there having the time of your life with your friends and Pokemon, it fills me with so much joy."

Ash stood there, taking in his mother's words. When she finished, he was quiet for a moment. Then he smiled at her. "Thanks, Mom," he said.

She nodded and pulled him into a tight embrace. "I love you, son," she whispered into his ear.

He smiled softly and returned her embrace. "I love you too, Mom."

Then they separated. "Take good care of him for me, okay Pikachu?" she said, turning to Ash's best friend.

" _Pikachu!_ " Pikachu grinned.

With that, Ash and Pikachu walked out the door. Delia smiled and called out after them, "And take good care of my grandson for me!"

Ash just fell over.

* * *

 **This concludes the beginning of the main adventure. Next time the real challenge begins!**


	16. Chapter 2-1: Poster-Boy for Pokemon

**Okay, here's the scoop: I'm gonna work on updating Adventures in Alola on a much more regular basis than I have been. I've got over seventy people who like this story, and I can't let you guys down. So I'm gonna set myself up to update this story every Monday.**

 **Okay, that's all. Let's begin the next part of the story!**

* * *

Chapter 2-1: Poster-Boy for Pokemon

" _Oh children! It's time to eat!"_

 _The two children, a boy and a girl dressed in the white attire their mother gave them, walked to the table to eat. The girl looked at her food curiously: a small bowl of boiled cereal, a small plate with four small perfectly cut apple slices, and two leaves of lettuce. She looked at her brother's food and noticed that he had a medium-sized piece of chicken and enough bread for three children._

" _Come along now, eat up!" her mother said, almost supervisory._

 _The girl looked at her mother in confusion. "Mom," she said, "why does he get more food than I do? I'm just as hungry as he is, and I don't think you've given me enough to fill me up."_

" _Oh, dear me," her mother said in a sarcastically astonished tone. "You're not planning to get_ fat _now, are you? That wouldn't make you very beautiful, would it? I made perfect calculations on what you children are supposed to eat, and I intend to feed you as such: no more and no less." She leered over her daughter almost threateningly. "If you don't like what I feed you, I can simply inject the nutritions into your body, and I_ hate _using injections. You wouldn't want to make Mommy angry now, would you?"_

 _The girl trembled fearfully at her mother's words. "You should eat," her brother said quietly as he ate his chicken. "Otherwise the food'll get cold and taste even worse."_

 _She looked at her food and sighed, then took a spoonful of the porridge and swallowed it. She grimaced; it tasted awful._

" _Oh, what good little children!" her mother said as she ate the horrible porridge. "What good, nicely-behaved children!" She patted her daughter on the head. "Oh, my cute little children."_

 _She looked up at her mother briefly before continuing to eat. She wasn't sure if it was just her childlike imagination, but that last thing her mother said sounded much sweeter than normal._

* * *

"So this is Hau'oli City's Trainer School, is it?" Ash smiled as they walked up to the entrance to a facility on the outskirts of the city.

"Sure is, yeah!" Professor Kukui nodded. "Normally if someone was starting their Island Challenge we'd have them stop here to learn the basics of being a trainer. But you and May seem experienced enough that it won't be necessary."

"I'll say," May agreed, looking around at the neat facility. The grass was neatly cut and the building had a welcoming feel. "Sure is a nice place, though."

"Yes," Lillie agreed. "I wonder what they're serving for lunch today?"

"You hungry?" Ash asked, turning to her.

"A little," she replied.

"Well it's about lunchtime anyway," May said. "Maybe we could rest here and get some lunch."

"I like the sound of that," Ash grinned. "The food here in Alola is really good!"

" _Pikachu!_ " Pikachu agreed.

"Well well well," a new voice said. "Seems we have some new student arrivals."

Everyone turned and saw a kid walking up to them with a smug smile. He dressed in a bright green shirt and dark green shorts. "Hey now, Joseph," Kukui said, "these are no students. They're trial-goers. They're taking on the Island Challenge."

"Oh really?" Joseph said. "And they're not getting the education required to take on such a daunting challenge? That's pretty lame. Everyone needs an education to take on the Island Challenge."

"What do we need to know that we don't already?" Ash asked, puzzled.

" _Pika?_ "

"Simple: you need to know how to battle," he said. "It's the basics of being a trainer."

"I've been battling and training Pokemon for years," Ash said. "Is that all this school is about?"

"Of course," Joseph smirked. "And if you're so sure you can take on the Island Challenge without this school, then that's your loss."

"Hm," Ash mused, mildly annoyed. "We'll see about that. You must be one of the top students here."

"That's right," he nodded. "I'm at the top of my class. So if you can't beat me, then you may as well go home."

"Oh really?" Ash said, smirking slightly. "Do I hear a challenge to battle?"

" _Piikaa?_ " Pikachu said, mirroring his trainer's expression.

"You know it," Joseph said smugly. "If you lose, you'll be begging me to teach you all that I know."

"Fine," Ash grinned, "but I _won't_ lose."

" _Pika pika!_ "

" _Zrrrrrt! This is about to get heated! I hope no one uses Overheat, or I'm toast!_ "

* * *

"This battle will be one-on-one," Professor Kukui declared as Ash and Joseph took their positions on either end of the battlefield on the playground. "Trainers, choose your Pokemon."

"Whataya say, Rowlet?" Ash asked, bending down to speak to his first Alolan Pokemon. "Wanna battle?"

" _Let!_ " Rowlet chirped, hopping out of Ash's backpack and standing in front of him, ready for battle.

"You picked that bird-brain for your starter?" Joseph said. "Bah. Talk about overrated. I'll make this quick." He chucked a Pokeball. "Come on out, Grimer!"

"Grimer?" May blinked. "That's not a Pokemon you see everyday." When the Pokeball's light faded, May got a good look at this Grimer in particular. "What?!"

"What?" Lillie blinked, looking at her surprised friend. "You've never seen a Grimer before?"

"No, I have," May replied. "But this Grimer...what's up with it?!" The Grimer she was referring to was green and had what appeared to be yellow drool on its bottom lip.

"That's an Alolan Grimer, yeah," Kukui said. "Certain Pokemon you're familiar with have different forms here in Alola."

"Wow!" Ash exclaimed. "So I can meet them for the first time all over again!"

" _Pikachu_!" Pikachu, who was being held by May, cheered in excitement.

"Enough chit-chat," Joseph grumbled. "Let's do this."

"All right," Ash grinned. "Rowlet! Begin with Tackle!"

Rowlet flew forward swiftly and rammed into Grimer, knocking it back slightly. "Grimer, counter with Bite!"

"Bite?!" May exclaimed as Grimer attacked Rowlet. "Since when was Grimer able to learn that attack?"

"Like I said," Kukui responded, "some Pokemon you know about outside Alola are different here."

"That's...interesting," May mused.

"Rowlet, pull outta there!" Ash called. With this encouragement, Rowlet escaped and flew up. "Now, use Peck!" Rowlet obeyed and pecked Grimer's head.

"That's cute," Joseph smirked. "Grimer, use Harden." Grimer's head suddenly hardened, and Rowlet bumped its beak. It squealed in pain and held its beak with its feathers. "Now, use Poison Gas!" Joseph commanded. Grimer emitted a purple gas that surrounded Rowlet. Rowlet began coughing and started to get dizzy.

"Rowlet, fly outta there!" Ash called. Rowlet tried to obey, but it stumbled and fell to the ground. It tried to get up, but it struggled, as it was weakened by the poison. "This could be trouble," Ash mused.

"Give up yet?" Joseph asked sardonically. "The advantage is mine."

Ash looked at Rowlet's struggling form, then smiled slightly. "It's not over yet, Joseph," he replied. "Come on, Rowlet! Get up! We can still win!"

"Seriously?" Joseph blinked, confused. "What are you getting at?"

"Ash really isn't the kind to give up, is he?" Kukui said to May.

"Nope," May shook his head. "He doesn't give up until it's over. He's really stubborn like that."

"Stubborn, yes," Lillie nodded. "But he's also smart."

"Huh?" Kukui and May said, looking at her.

"Look at Rowlet," she pointed at the Pokemon as it got to its feet. Suddenly, a light green aura enveloped it.

"What?!" Joseph exclaimed. "What's that?"

"Overgrow," Ash replied. "When certain grass-type Pokemon get weak, their power gets boosted. Now Rowlet! Use Leafage!"

" _Let!_ " Rowlet cried, unleashing a barrage of green energy orbs that swarmed Grimer.

" _Grimer!_ " it cried, surprising Joseph.

"That...actually hurt?" he said quietly.

"Now finish this off with Tackle!" Ash commanded. Rowlet flew forward at a blinding speed and slammed into Grimer, knocking it back. The dust quickly settled, showing Rowlet still floating in the air while Grimer lay on its back with swirls in its eyes.

"Grimer is unable to battle; Rowlet wins!" Kukui declared. "The winner of this battle is Ash!"

"Nice work, Rowlet!" Ash cheered as his Pokemon flew back to him. It landed in his arms and began to falter, as the Poison Gas's effects still lingered. "Here, let's get you healed up. That sound good to you?"

" _Let_ ," Rowlet nodded quietly. With that, they walked into the school.

"Wow," Joseph said, quietly recalling Grimer in astonishment. "I underestimated him."

"You sure did!" May grinned. "My boyfriend is easily one of the most dedicated trainers in the world. Any amateur trainer would be a fool to go up against Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!"

At that, Joseph froze, his eyes widening in shock. "Wait...what did you just say?"

"I said you'd be a fool to battle Ash so recklessly," she replied, confused as to his sudden change in demeanor.

" _Ash_?!" he repeated his name. "As in... _the runner up of the Kalos League?!_ "

"Seems his reputation precedes him," May shrugged to herself, undeterred by Joseph.

"Uh, guys?"

Everyone turned and saw Ash had come back out, holding a large poster. He looked both astounded and confused at the face he saw on there.

"Why am I on this poster?" he asked.

* * *

 **Uh-oh...sounds like someone's got a fan club! I wonder how this will play out.**

 **Also, the opening of this chapter is based on a comic I read on the internet.**


	17. Chapter 2-2: Mob Rule

**Ho...ly...cow...I feel awful. Not only did I fail to keep my promise to update this every Monday, I put it off for over a MONTH! The reason for this? Well, it was a mix of things that were both in and out of my control, but more out than in. My computer had two freak-outs in February, both of which required me to bring it in for maintenance, so it was out of commission for most of the month. This thing's probably dying, honestly, so I'm gonna work on getting a new one. Beyond that, school's been a little monster to me, and I hit some writer's block in the middle of this chapter.**

 **So that's that. Luckily, with Spring Break coming up next week, I should have plenty of time to get ahead. I should also have time to work on some new projects I'm cooking up, including a potential direct sequel to this story (which, if all goes according to plan, would be published this year, even though this story's development will doubtlessly extend _far_ beyond that).**

 **Anyways, enough from me: on with the story!**

* * *

Chapter 2-2: Mob Rule

"Say Jessie, where's Mimikyu?" Meowth asked as they sat in a stall at the town's malsalada shop.

"In its Luxury Ball, of course," Jessie replied pulling out the Luxury Ball she'd used to catch the Disguise Pokemon. She pushed the button to release it only for the ball to pop open, releasing nothing. "Ah!" she exclaimed, dropping her malsalada.

"Great," James grumbled. "Where has it got to this time?"

"Dat thing's a load of trouble!" Meowth said. "Why, if I wasn't so scared of it I'd tear off its rags and burn 'em!"

"Come on," Jessie said, getting up and motioning for them to do so as well. "We need to go find it...and maybe steal some Pokemon along the way."

"I like da sound of that!" Meowth grinned.

" _Wooooobbuffet!_ "

* * *

Ash looked around at his companions in confusion as he held the poster he found in one of the school's halls. It featured a picture of him in the finals of the Lumiose Conference commanding Pikachu to attack his opponent's Tyranitar. On the bottom of the poster was a slogan: " _Never give up until it's over!_ " Beneath that was more text: " _Ash Ketchum Fan Club: Meets Thursdays at 7 PM in Room 1264._ "

" _You're_ Ash Ketchum?!" Joseph exclaimed, his jaw on the ground.

"Uh...yeah," Ash said. "Seriously, though: what's with this poster just hanging on the wall?"

"Holy.." Joseph said, barely able to breathe with his hands over his mouth. "Tapu Koko...I don't...ohhhhhhhhhhhh…" He toppled over and collapsed on top of Rotom Dex, unconscious.

"Oh my," Lillie said, surprisingly undisturbed at watching someone faint. "I didn't think you had the capacity to knock people out like that, Ash."

"Neither did I," Ash murmured, still staring at the poster. An annoyed Rotom Dex wriggled out from underneath Joseph and sparked a little.

May came over and took a moment to look at the poster. As she read the text on the bottom, she smiled. "That sounds about right," she grinned as she stood up. "Wow, Ash, imagine that! You have your own fanclub at this school!"

"Yeah," Ash said. "I never would have thought –"

"OHMYGOSH, EVERYONE!" a shrill voice suddenly shouted from within the school, causing everyone to turn and see a schoolgirl calling everyone inside. "ASH KETCHUM IS AT OUR SCHOOL!"

"Uh-oh," was all Ash said before the mob ran him over. Although the others were in the middle of the stampede of fans, they were largely undisturbed.

"Well...um," Lillie murmured, "this is interesting."

"This brings back some baaaaaad memories," May said with a shudder.

"Oh?" Lillie said curiously. "What do you mean?"

"I live in Petalburg City in Hoenn," May explained. "My dad's the gym leader there. I left to travel with Ash so he could get stronger to face my dad. But when we came back to fight him, the two of us ended up getting caught in the middle of an insane mob of fans." She shuddered at the thought. "Since then, I've been a bit quieter about being a gym leader's daughter."

Lillie blinked. "I...don't exactly know what you mean."

"No, huh?" May said. "Well, whatever. Just be careful. Mobs are never pleasant business."

"Right," Lillie nodded, then turned to her duffel bag. "You heard that, right Nebby? Stay in there and out of trouble, okay?" There was no response. "Nebby?" She peered inside her bag and found it empty. "No!" she exclaimed.

"What is it?" May asked in alarm.

"Nebby got out again!" Lillie said, looking around frantically. "Oh...where did he go this time?!"

"Come on!" May said. "Let's split up and look for him. You too, Rotom Dex." With that, the two ran off with Rotom Dex, leaving poor Ash at the mercy of the mob.

"What?!" he cried. "May, don't leave me like this! May! MAY!"

* * *

Nebby was wandering behind the school, wearing a cheery smile. It hid behind a bush and listened as the mob crowded around the others. Then it giggled. Its amusement, however, was cut short when it heard a sinister voice behind it:

" _Who...are you?_ "

It blinked in confusion and turned to see who had addressed it only to find no one.

" _Look...harder…_ "

It turned around a few times, trying to find its addressor. Then suddenly, its vision went black with a cry of " _PEW!_ " and its captor revealed itself:

" _SEEEEEEEE MEEEEEEEE?!_ "

* * *

"We've been looking all over town for that lousy Mimikyu," James moaned as he popped out of a dumpster with Meowth. "There's no sign of it anywhere."

"Where haven't we looked yet?" Meowth asked.

"The Pokemon school," Jessie said. She stood outside the dumpster as James and Meowth tumbled out. "But at this time of day, it'd be foolish to walk around there for fear of being spotted."

Meowth climbed up a light pole and looked in the direction of the school. "Maybe not!" he said.

"Hm?" the other two looked up at him.

"There's a mob outside the school right now, and it's all chaos!" he said. "Now's a better time than any to look for Mimikyu over there."

"And if things are confusing enough," Jessie grinned sinisterly.

"We can steal some Pokemon while we're at it!" James finished.

" _Woooooobbuffet!_ "

* * *

"All right, all right!" Ash said as he managed to stand on his feet, getting a considerable distance away from the slavering boys and girls. "I'm officially freaked out now."

" _Pika pika_ ," Pikachu agreed as Professor Kukui stood between them, holding his hands up.

"Now listen up, boys and girls," he said. "Ash will be here all day today to battle, sign autographs, and anything else you want him to do."

"Wait, what?!" Ash exclaimed. "I didn't sign up for –" He was cut off when Pikachu swatted him over the head. He glared at his best friend, but Pikachu pointed at the kids as though to tell Ash he had to make a good impression. "Er, I mean...yes! Yes I will." He turned to Professor Kukui with a small glare. "Did you set me up for this?" he hissed so no one could hear.

"Kinda," the professor nodded apologetically. "It was supposed to be a surprise, yeah."

"Oh," the trainer said, his mood brightening up slightly. "Then...did you know who I was when we first met?"

"Not exactly," Kukui replied. "I thought you seemed familiar when I met you, but I still wasn't sure. After leaving, I went to the school and found out who you were. So I decided to surprise you."

"I see," Ash nodded. "Well I think it's safe to say that you succeeded."

" _Chaaaaa_ ," Pikachu shrugged.

"All right," Ash grinned at the kids. "So who wants to battle me first?"

"I DO, I DO! MEMEMEMEMEMEMEME," everyone shouted immediately. Ash just chuckled while Kukui organized everyone and told them to get in line.

"This is going to be a fun day," he smiled at Pikachu.

" _Pikachu_."

* * *

"Nebby!" Lillie cried, searching through the school's main building. "Oh, you – why do you have to cause me so much trouble? I have enough as it is without you jumping out of my bag every five minutes." She looked under several desks to no avail, as the mysterious Pokemon was nowhere to be found. "Please be safe, Nebby," she whispered.

"Lillie?"

"Oh!" the girl exclaimed, standing up. "Did you find him?"

"No," May shook her head in disappointment. "He's a real stinker, that one."

"Oh, where could he have gone?"

" _Zrrt!_ " Rotom Dex said as it came up to them. " _We're still looking for Nebby, right?_ "

"Yeah, did you find him?" May asked.

" _Nope. I've scanned the whole place, and that little stinker'zzzzz nowhere to be found. Muzzzzt've teleported off the facility, zzrt!_ "

"No," Lillie said. "He couldn't have. He's a very frail creature, and he used his power once in the past several days. There's no way he could have teleported himself off the campus. It would kill him."

"Really?" May exclaimed in surprise. "Is he really that –"

Her words were interrupted by a horrible shrieking noise, which caused everyone to freeze. "What...was that?" May whispered.

" _Zrrrt...I don't like thizzz._ "

* * *

"And Pikachu is the winner...again!" Kukui declared as Ash beat the tenth kid in a row.

"Aw," the boy sighed, recalling his Pikipek. "I lost. Oh well. At least I got to battle you, Ash. This is a dream come true."

"You put up a good fight," Ash replied with a smile. "Pikachu had the type advantage, and you recognized that and tried to get around it. With thinking like that, you'll go far as a trainer."

"Thanks," the boy said, and he walked away.

"I hope you're not tired," Kukui said to him privately. "You can always take a break if you want."

"You kidding?" Ash winked at him, keeping his voice low so the kids couldn't hear. "I'm just getting warmed up! These kids may not be much of a challenge, but their energy is contagious."

"Not much of a challenge, eh?" Kukui smirked. "Maybe once you're finished warming up, you can battle me, yeah?"

"Sounds like a plan," Ash smirked. "But let the kids go first. They're the ones I'm here for today, after all."

"Will do," Kukui nodded, then turned to the kids. "Who's next?"

"I am!" a little girl cheered with her Eevee. "I am!"

"You gonna battle me with Eevee, huh?" Ash smirked. "Eevee's a rare Pokemon. I think you'll go far as a trainer."

"Really?" the little girl said, her eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. "That's so sweet of you! Thank you, Mr. Ash!"

"Of course," he smiled. "And really, just call me Ash."

* * *

"Nebby?" Lillie called in fright after hearing the shrieking noise. They ran outside to where the shriek came from, but they didn't find any Pokemon around there.

"Nothing," May mumbled. She put her hands on her hips. "What was that awful noise?"

"If something's happened to Nebby," Lillie said fearfully, "I don't know what I'd do. He's –"

"Sh!" May suddenly said. Lillie looked at her in confusion and noticed that she was trying to listen to something. As she listened with her, she heard someone whispering nearby. Curious, they slowly eased their way closer to the voices.

"So the twerp's got a fan club, does he?" they heard a female voice say.

"Apparently," a male voice said. "That explains the mob."

"Then that'll make it easy pickings to snatch Pikachu!" a third voice said.

May gasped. "It's Team Rocket!" she whispered. They inched closer to the voices and saw the trio huddled on the ground around something.

"Okay, here's the plan," Jessie said. "Meowth, you'll disguise yourself as a human kid asking to take on the twerp." She pulled out an empty Pokeball. "When your 'battle' begins, throw this Pokeball. I've modified it so that when it opens to release a Pokemon, it'll release a net instead!"

"But where can we get a net?" Meowth asked.

"Easy," James grinned, pulling out a net and balling it up. "We'll use this net that I've just found."

"Ah, that's perfect!" Meowth grinned, standing up to stuff the net into the ball. As he did so, May and Lillie caught a glimpse of what the trio was sitting around: a cage holding a certain Pokemon hostage.

Lillie gasped. "Nebby!" she squeaked.

"Sh!" May hissed, covering her mouth. "Do you wanna get us caught?"

"They have Nebby!" Lillie replied, removing her hand from her mouth. "We have to save him!"

"Don't worry," May assured her. "We will. But if we try and save him now, we'll just get ourselves caught in the process. We need a plan of attack."

"All right," Meowth grinned after the ball closed, turning back to his teammates. "We got our plan of attack. Now let's fix up a disguise!" He didn't notice May and Lillie at all.

"Come on," May said. "Let's get back to Ash."

" _But what about our plan?_ " Rotom Dex asked.

"Leave that to me," May replied, pumping her fist.

* * *

"Whew!" Ash said after another battle. "Not bad for a beginner."

" _Pika pikachu_ ," Pikachu agreed.

"Thanks, Ash!" the boy grinned. "Oh boy...I can't wait to tell Mom and Dad about school today!"

Ash and Pikachu laughed as the boy went away. Then, for a brief moment, Ash's face fell as he thought about what the boy said. _What a lucky kid_ he thought.

"All right, I'm next!" the next kid in line said, striding forward awkwardly.

Ash quickly recovered his demeanor. "All right, Pikachu, you ready for another round?"

" _Pika pika!_ " Pikachu cheered, getting in position for battle.

"All right," the kid grinned. "I hope you're ready for the surprise of your life!" With that, he chucked his Pokeball.

"Popplio, use Water Gun!" a voice suddenly cried. Then a jet of water erupted from the sidelines and deflected the Pokeball off its course. When it opened, everyone was shocked as a net erupted and captured the "kid" who threw it.

"GAH!" the kid cried. "Stupid Pokeball! Throw the net at Pikachu, not me!"

"What?!" Ash cried. "What do you mean throw it at Pikachu?! Were you trying to steal my Pokemon?!"

"Yes he was, Ash," May said, stepping forward with Popplio, Lillie and Rotom Dex.

"What kind of kid steals Pokemon?!" Ash glared at the kid caught by the net.

" _See for yourself, zrrt!_ " Rotom Dex said, scanning the kid. The information that came up, to Ash's astonishment, was for a Meowth.

"Wait a minute," Ash mused, "if this is a Meowth disguised as a kid trying to steal Pikachu...then that must mean…"

"Meowth, you idiot!" a familiar voice shouted. "You were supposed to catch Pikachu!"

"I tried!" Meowth yelled back, "But the twerp's girlfriend ruined everything!"

"Team Rocket!" Ash cried.

Jessie and James jumped out of the adjacent bush with Mimikyu, clearly frustrated. "I guess we have to do everything ourselves," Jessie growled. "Mimikyu, get me that Pikachu!"

"Wait a minute!" James suddenly cried.

"James what are you –?!" Jessie exclaimed before James covered her mouth.

"I have a better idea," he grinned. Then he held up the cage with Nebby in it. "We'll strike a bargain!"

"Nebby!?" Ash exclaimed.

"Oh, you want your Pokemon back, do you?" James sneered. "Hand over the Pikachu, and he's all yours."

"No way!" Ash retorted. "You let Nebby go now!"

"Make me," James retorted.

"Hold on a minute here!"

Everyone turned and saw Joseph standing, staring at Team Rocket with a furrowed brow. "Are you actually trying to steal a Pokemon and then bargain with it?!"

"Of course we are," James grinned. "That's just what we do."

"That's mean!" one of the little girls shouted. "You should be ashamed of yourselves!"

"Oh, be quiet you!" Jessie snapped back. "What do you know? You're just a little kid!"

"You let that Pokemon go now!" one of the little boys yelled.

"What kind of trainers are you?!" another kid shouted.

"Why, we're Team Rocket, of course," James replied with pride. "Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Team Rocket?!" everyone exclaimed.

"Hey! These are the guys from Kanto who love stealing Pokemon!" one kid shouted.

"That's right! I read about them on the TV!" said another.

"Uh-oh," Meowth murmured as the trio began to look fearful.

"I've always hated these guys!" said another. "Let's make them pay for being a bunch of big jerks!"

"This looks bad," James whimpered, his confidence gone.

"Everyone, call out your Pokemon!" Joseph commanded. Everyone began throwing their Pokeballs into the air.

"We need to get out of here!" Jessie exclaimed. "Forget about Pikachu! RUN!" They started to run, only to meet a pair of angry trainers blocking their way.

"You're not going anywhere until you let Nebby go," Ash growled.

"Out of our way, twerp!" Jessie shouted. "Mimikyu, use Shadow Ball!"

" _KEEEEEEEEEEEEE!_ " Mimikyu snarled, unleashing a ghostly ball of energy at Pikachu at a blinding speed. There was no time to dodge, so Popplio jumped in the way of the attack, screaming in panic as it did so. To everyone's surprise, Popplio's voice began creating pink soundwaves. This ended up both blocking and deflecting the attack, which struck Mimikyu head-on. Unable to take the attack, Mimikyu collapsed, unconscious.

"Now, Pikachu!" Ash commanded. "Use Iron Tail on that cage to free Nebby!"

" _Chuuuuuuuu, PIKA!_ " Pikachu cried, slamming the cage out of James' hand and freeing Nebby.

"Nebby!" Lillie cried, running over and scooping it up in her arms. "Oh, thank goodness!"

" _Pew!_ " Nebby cried in relief.

"You little rich-girl twerpette!" Jessie growled. "You'll pay for that!"

"The only people who are paying for _anything_ today are you three."

The trio turned and saw Joseph and the rest of the kids, all with their ace Pokemon out. " _Uh-oh_ ," was all the three of them could say as they facefaulted.

"ATTACK!" Joseph cried. Before poor Team Rocket knew what was happening, a herd of Pokemon had run them over, mauling them and showing no mercy.

"Boy, they're sure having a bad day," Ash said. "I almost feel sorry for them."

"Don't waste your sympathy, Ash," May said.

He turned to her. "How did you know that was Meowth in disguise?"

"We were looking for Nebby," Lillie explained, jumping in, "and we stumbled on them making a plan to steal your Pikachu."

"So we made our own little plan to counter theirs," May grinned with a flip of her hair.

Ash chuckled and proudly put his hands on his hips. "What would I do without you guys?"

" _Hey! Don't forget about me, zrrt!_ " Rotom Dex protested. " _I wazzz the one who showed you it wazzzz Meowth!_ "

"I didn't forget about anyone," Ash replied. "All of you helped take down Team Rocket."

"Ah, well," Lillie said shyly, "I...didn't really do much. Really, all I did was cause trouble."

"Huh?" the other two said, looking at her curiously. "What do you –?"

"Learned your lesson yet?" Joseph interrupted them as he stared down at the battered and beaten Team Rocket.

"Owwwwwww," was all they could moan in response. "Was that really necessary?" Meowth asked.

"Yeah, it was!" one of the kids shouted.

"Now you kids are gonna get it," Jessie growled, standing up. "We're gonna steal all your Pokemon! That'll teach you to make fools out of Team Rocket!"

"You better not try it, guys," Ash growled, stepping forward and prompting them to turn to face him. "They were trying to protect Pokemon that you were trying to steal. _You're_ the ones who made fools out of yourselves! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

" _Pika! Piiiiikaaaaaaa...CHUUUUUUUUUUU!_ " Pikachu screeched, unleashing a fully-powered Thunderbolt against them. What ensued was the familiar result: an explosion followed by Team Rocket soaring through the air with a familiar cry of defeat:

"LOOKS LIKE TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAINNNNNNN!"

 _Ding_.

"Yeah, way to go Ash!" one of the kids shouted.

"You beat 'em!" said another.

"What? Me? Oh, no," Ash shook his head. " _You_ guys were the ones who beat them."

"Us?" everyone said at once.

"Yeah! You guys had all your Pokemon work together to stop them from getting away! _I_ just finished them off," he explained.

" _Zrrt! You kidzzzz sure are naughty!_ " Rotom Dex chimed in.

All the kids laughed. Then Joseph walked up to Ash. "I suppose I owe you an apology, Ash," he said.

"For what?" he blinked in confusion.

"For my snide remarks earlier," he said. "I didn't realize I was up against a Kalos League finalist. If I'd known who you were, I wouldn't have been so nasty."

"Ah, it's okay," Ash grinned. "You gave me a good battle, and that's apology enough for me."

"Yeah...I guess it is," Joseph shrugged.

"Nice work, kids! Woo!" Professor Kukui interjected. "All right, everyone! Time to go home!"

"Awwwwww!" everyone moaned.

"But we wanna hang out with Ash!" some of them said.

"I know, I know," he chuckled. "But you guys need to go home! Your parents are here to pick you up!"

"Oh, okay," everyone said.

"Make sure you say bye to Ash, okay?" he said.

"Okay! Bye Ash!" everyone said, one after another.

"Bye, guys!" Ash replied. "Thanks for all the battles today!"

As everyone was leaving, Joseph turned back to Ash one more time. "Thanks for stopping by today, Ash," he said. "Next time we battle, I'll give you a battle worthy of a Kalos League champion!"

"Oh, I can't wait," Ash grinned. The two of them shook hands, and then Joseph walked away. "Good luck, out there, Joseph!" he called after him.

"Whew," May said with a yawn. "What a day, huh? Maybe we should rest for the night." The sun was setting in the sky.

"I guess that's a good idea," Lillie agreed. "We can stay at the Pokemon Center."

"Good idea," Ash agreed. "Let's go."

As they walked to the center with Ash in the lead, May and Lillie trailed behind a bit so as to stay out of earshot. "Hey Lillie?"

"Hm?"

"What did you mean earlier when you said you only caused trouble?"

"Hm? Oh...I just meant that I can't keep track of Nebby, that's all." Instinctively, she she checked her bag. Nebby was asleep.

"That's not all your fault," May assured her. "Nebby's just a mischievous Pokemon, that's all."

"I know, but...every since we...I mean, um," she trailed off. "Ever since we met, I've just felt like it's my responsibility to take care of him and make sure he doesn't get into trouble. I mean, he's a rare Pokemon. In the wrong hands, he could get hurt really badly."

May listened to her friend, then smiled. "You have a good heart, Lillie," she said, patting her shoulder.

"Huh?"

"You have a good heart. You're kind, considerate, polite, and always looking out for someone else's well-being before your own. You'd make a good mother."

"Oh!" Lillie exclaimed, startled, but she quickly regained her composure. "Th-thank you."

"Hey, ladies!"

May and Lillie looked up. "Ladies?" May repeated.

"Come on!" Ash called impatiently, though he still had a grin on his face. "I'd like to register over here quickly so we can get some malsaladas before the day ends. I'm kinda hungry!"

May turned to Lillie, giggled, then ran over to meet up with Ash. Lillie followed slowly, turning May's words over in her head.

 _Did she really mean that?_

* * *

It was nighttime now. Joseph was outside leaning on his front yard's fence, smiling at the sky. "Wow," he said quietly. "What a cool day."

"Who was that guy?"

"Huh?!" Joseph turned, startled by the sudden voice. A dark figure stood over him, looking him down with a slightly menacing gaze in his eyes. "Who are you?!"

"Never mind me," the figure replied, walking up to him. "Who did you say that guy was?"

"What do you want?!" Joseph asked. "And how did you get into my yard?!"

"Relax, kid," the figure snapped impatiently. "I'm not here to hurt you. I'm just looking for some information."

"Oh...okay," Joseph relaxed. "What do you want to know?"

"Who was that guy you battled today?"

"Huh? You mean Ash?"

"Ash," the dark figure repeated the name like acid on his tongue.

"Yeah, Ash," Joseph nodded. "The Kalos League finalist...er, champion!"

"Champion?" the figure blinked, his lime-green eyes glinting in the night. "You mean he won in the Lumiose Conference?"

"Well, no," Joseph shook his head, "but he should have. He lost to some guy from Team Flare who cheated, you know?"

"Team Flare," the figure repeated. "I remember them. They wanted to use Zygarde to destroy the world."

"Yes, them!" Joseph nodded.

"So what you're telling me is Ash Ketchum is a League finalist who should have won but ended up losing?" the dark figure repeated.

"Yes."

"And what of that Pokemon those three goons from Team Rocket kidnapped?" he asked.

"I don't know about that. It was really rare – wait, how did you know about that?" Joseph blinked in surprise.

"I was watching," he replied. "This Ash is an interesting trainer. I'm not too surprised he was a finalist in the Kalos League. But I digress. What of that Pokemon Team Rocket had?"

"Well, it looked like a demon-Pikachu –"

"No, I mean the one they kidnapped!" he growled impatiently.

"Oh, that! Well, it was small, it floated, and it looked like a small cloud made of stars."

The figure's lime eyes widened. He leaned down and looked Joseph directly in the eye. "Are you certain about that?" he asked with intense focus.

"Y-yes," Joseph stammered.

"Very well, then," he nodded, standing up and turning away. "Thank you for your assistance. I'll be leaving now."

"Okay," Joseph nodded. With that, he turned and ran back into his house.

Meanwhile, the dark figure walked away with a determined expression on his face. "So they have Cosmog," he murmured. "This could be trouble if they don't know what it is. I need to find them!" With that, he picked up his pace.

* * *

 **And the plot thickens! I wonder what will happen next...**

 **No, seriously. I'm not sure what's next.**

 **Anyways, once again, I'm really sorry I broke my promise to update every Monday. I'm gonna work on doing better from here on out. See you in the next chapter!**


	18. Chapter 2-3: Training Begins

**I changed this story's rating to K+. Anyone who's played _Sun and Moon_ probably knows why. Don't worry. I have no plans to make the rating go any further than that.**

* * *

Chapter 2-3: Training Begins

"Whew!" Ash yawned. It was the next morning, and he was walking out of his room at the Pokemon Center after getting a good night's rest. "I sure needed that." He turned to his partner with a smile. "Ready for another exciting day under the Alolan sun, Pikachu?"

" _Pikachu!_ " Pikachu nodded eagerly.

"All right, then," he said, walking out to the lobby. "I wonder what we're gonna do today."

At that moment, the door to the Pokemon Center opened. A young adult with tan skin, gray eyes and, most notably, feminine pink hair strode in. The doors closed behind them as they walked up to Nurse Joy, who was at her usual post. The two of them spoke in hushed tones.

Ash watched all this curiously. "Who's that lady with the pink hair?" he wondered.

" _Pika_ ," Pikachu shrugged.

Ash chuckled lightly. "She certainly has an eccentric style, doesn't she?" he joked.

At that, Nurse Joy pointed her friend to Ash. They walked up to him with a smile.

"Looking for someone?" he asked, returning the smile.

"Yes, I was," the pink-haired young adult said.

"GAH!" Ash cried, falling over startled. "You're a guy?!"

"Why yes!" the young man chuckled. "Does that shock you?"

"Um...yeah, maybe a little!" Ash replied, regaining his composure. "Anyway, what's up?"

"I was looking for a trainer in town," the young man replied. "His name's Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town in Kanto. Do you know where I can find him?"

"Yep, sure do!" Ash grinned, pointing to himself. "He's me!"

" _Pika-pikachu!_ " Pikachu grinned.

"Oh my!" the young man exclaimed. It was his turn to fall over in surprise. "My apologies, sir!" he said as he got up. "I didn't realize who I was speaking to!"

"Ah, don't worry about that," Ash chuckled, adjusting his hat. "I'm not the kind to go around parading my accomplishments."

"No, I suppose not," the man shrugged, still reeling from the realization that he was speaking to Ash.

"Anyways, you know who I am, but I don't know who you are," Ash went on. "What's your name?"

"Ah!" the young man exclaimed as he began to regain his composure. "Yes, greetings! Captain Ilima here."

"A captain?" Ash repeated, his eyes glowing slightly. "You mean you're the captain of a ship?"

"Oh no, not that kind of captain," Ilima shook his head. "I'm a trial captain!"

"A trial captain?"

" _Pikachu_?"

"Yes, that's right," Ilima nodded. "Trial captains are the ones who conduct the trials you face for your Island Challenge as you go to challenge the Island Kahuna."

"I see," Ash nodded.

Ilima grinned a cheeky grin, giggling almost like a girl. "I must say, Ash, it's an honor to meet you."

"Thanks," Ash shrugged with a smile.

"No, really," Ilima went on. "It truly is an honor to meet you. Ever since I saw your performance in the Kalos League, I've been really inspired to follow my dreams and become a trial captain."

"Really?" Ash said, his smile broadening. "That's great!"

" _Pikachu_!"

"Yeah," Ilima nodded. "I also wanted other people to get a taste of that inspiration, so I started the Ash Ketchum Fan Club at the Trainer's School."

"Oh, so it was _you_ who started that club!" Ash exclaimed.

" _Pika pika!_ "

"Yes," Ilima nodded again.

"Well, I must say, your club came as quite the shock to me," Ash smirked. "May and I walked into the school with the intent to get some lunch, and we ended up getting caught in the middle of a mob of fans instead!"

"Oh dear," the trial captain said, "I hope it wasn't any trouble."

"It was at first, but after the initial chaos died down everything worked out smoothly. I really enjoyed battling all those kids."

"Very good!" Ilima smiled. "Say, did you by chance battle against my younger brother Joseph? He's at the top of his class."

"Joseph?" Ash repeated the name in surprise. "Yes, I did battle him. He was kinda rude at first, but then I beat him and earned his respect. He's your brother, is he?"

"Yes," Ilima nodded. "He came home yesterday and told us that you were in town. That's why I came here this morning: to try and find you and maybe battle you."

"Well if it's a battle you want, then it's a battle you'll get," Ash grinned, pumping his fist. "Where should we go?"

"The marina on the edge of town is a popular place for battle," the trial captain said. "It would be perfect!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" Ash asked. "Let's go!"

" _Pi-Pikachu!_ "

* * *

May walked out into the Pokemon Center's lobby, putting the finishing touches on her hair. She looked around expecting to see Ash and Pikachu eating breakfast. They were nowhere to be found.

"Huh," she said. "Must be still asleep, then."

"Who?" Nurse Joy said, looking up.

"My boyfriend," May replied, turning to her.

"You mean Ash?"

May blinked. "How did you know?"

"He left earlier with a note," she replied, coming over hastily with a piece of paper.

"Oh!" May said, taking it. "Thank you, Nurse Joy."

"Of course," the nurse nodded, turning and walking back to her post. May quickly read the note:

 _Hey May._

 _Someone came by to challenge me. I would've woken you up, but I figured you needed some sleep. I'll be back soon._

 _Ash_

May smiled and folded the note up. "Guess I'll get some breakfast. Then it's on to training!"

And that's just what she did. After eating a nice bowl of cereal, she went outside into a secluded garden area, bringing Popplio with her. "What do you say, Popplio? Ready to train for our next battle?"

" _Io! Popplio!_ " Popplio grinned.

"Okay," May nodded. "Why don't we start by standing on our tip-toes?"

" _Io?_ " Popplio blinked.

"Like this," May grinned, standing on her toes with her hands stretched into the air. Popplio caught on and stood on its tail, striking a confident pose. "That's it!" she giggled. "Now, let's see…"

"May?"

"Hm?" May said, turning around to see a familiar face. "Oh, hey Lillie!"

"Good morning," Lillie replied. "Um...what are you doing out here?"

"I was just training with Popplio," May replied. "He doesn't have much experience, so I wanna help him get stronger."

"I see," Lillie nodded, looking Popplio's confident pose over. "However, you made a mistake. This Popplio isn't male; it's female."

"Oh?" May blinked.

"Yes. I can't explain why that is, but your Popplio is definitely female."

"Works for me!" May grinned, but her grin faded slightly as she thought. "Now I'm not exactly sure how to go about this training process with Popplio. If I knew more about the species –"

"I can help teach you," Lillie volunteered.

"Really?"

"Yes. As Professor Kukui's assistant, I spent a lot of time reading about the Pokemon of Alola, so I know a lot about them."

"Thanks, Lillie!" May grinned. "So where do we start?"

"Well, to start off, Popplio are generally cheerful and playful Pokemon," Lillie explained. "You saw that when Popplio stood on her tail, right?"

"Right," May nodded.

"Well, there are other things Popplio love to do. When they snort through their noses, they create bubbles of water, which they can use as both playthings and battle techniques."

"Ooh!" May grinned. "Let's try that! What do you think, Popplio? Care to snort a bubble or two?"

" _Io?_ " Popplio blinked, her cheerfulness fading slightly. She then lowered her head and shook it as though to say 'no.'

"No?" May blinked in confusion. "But why not?"

" _Io, Popplio,_ " Popplio said sadly. May listened, then her expression became sad.

"Boy, I wish I could understand what you're saying right now," she sighed.

"Um," Lillie interjected, "I think I might know what she's saying."

"Oh?" May looked up. "What's that?"

"You remember that this Popplio in particular was abused by many trainers before she came to you, right? And that made her very unhappy. So she's not quite as playful as other Popplio are, which means snorting bubbles isn't as easy for her. You might have to work on drawing it out."

"Drawing it out," May repeated. She nodded, her smile returning. "Well, nothing worth having comes without a fight." She stroked Popplio's head. "I suppose you're nervous, huh?" she said to it. "Don't worry. We'll find a way to make you happy and cheerful again."

" _Io?_ "

"You betcha," she winked at it.

Lillie's eyes widened. "You understood it?"

"Not exactly," May said, standing up. "It's no simple feat to be able to speak to Pokemon, but when you share a bond with them, you can usually get the general gist of what they say."

"I see," Lillie nodded. A " _Pew!_ " from her bag startled her, and she quickly held the bag tight to keep its inhabitant from getting out. "I wonder if Nebby and I will have a bond like that someday."

"Maybe you will," May smiled at her before turning back to Popplio. "Now, let's try this. Popplio, snort out a bubble!"

" _Io! Iiiiiiiiiiii_ ," Popplio grunted, squeezing her eyes shut and clenching her teeth.

"She's trying," May smiled. "You can do it, Popplio!"

" _IO_!" Popplio screeched finally. But instead of a bubble coming out of her nose, all that game was a gush of water which gave the Pokemon's trainer a flashback to a familiar event from long ago.

"Oh dear," Lillie said, largely unfazed. "Um...would you like me to get a towel?"

"That'd be nice," May nodded. Lillie went back to the Pokemon Center while May crouched down next to Popplio. "Hey Popplio," she said with a smile.

" _Io_ ," Popplio moaned, looking down at the ground. May smiled and stroked her head.

"That wasn't bad," she said. "You gave it a good effort. I know you can snort out bubbles. It just doesn't come as naturally to you as it does to the rest of your species." She scratched her behind one of her earflaps. "Don't worry," she said. "We're gonna keep training."

" _Io_?" Popplio said, looking up at her.

"Really really," May nodded. Popplio responded by jumping into her, knocking her down. "Whoa, hey!" she laughed as Popplio nuzzled her face with her nose. "Cut that out!" The two of them laughed a bit more before sitting up.

"Here's a towel," Lillie said, coming up to them.

"Thanks," May grinned, taking it and starting to dry off as she looked at Popplio. "Once I'm dry, we'll get back to training. How's that sound?"

" _Io! Popplio!_ " Popplio grinned.

"That's what I like to hear!" May grinned as she ran the towel through her hair.


	19. Chapter 2-4: Bad to the Bone

Chapter 2-4: Bad to the Bone

"Here we are," Ilima said as they came to a wide-open space right by the coast. They were standing on a sizable dock that sat above the water.

"Looks perfect," Ash grinned. "It's almost like it was built for Pokemon battles!"

" _Pikachu_!" Pikachu agreed.

"Well, Ash? Are you ready for a real Alolan battle?"

"You bet I am! Let's go!" he cheered.

The two of them stood on opposite ends of the clearing. "Smeargle, let's pass this one!" Ilima called, tossing a Pokeball into the air. It released the Johto-native painter Pokemon, which immediately stood ready for battle.

"Smeargle, hm?" Ash smirked. "It's not often I see that one. Rowlet, I choose you!" Rowlet, who was sleeping in his backpack, snapped awake and flew forward, ready for battle.

"Rowlet?" Ilima blinked in surprise. "Have you battled much with this Pokemon?"

"Nope!" Ash grinned. "That's why I'm battling with him now!"

"I see," Ilima said as he put his chin into his hand, slightly disappointed. "I was hoping to battle your Pikachu." He lowered his hand with a smile. "Oh well. I'll test your Rowlet's strength!"

"What are we waiting for?" Ash said. "Let's go!"

"Right then! Smeargle, open this up with Tackle!"

* * *

"Owch!" May cried when Popplio rammed into her head-first, knocking her over into a sitting position.

"Oh dear," Lillie said for the sixth time, completely unfazed. "I'm not sure how many times I have to say it, but Popplio can't learn Tackle."

"I heard you the first time," May mumbled, sitting up. "I was trying to have her use Pound."

Lillie nodded. "What about that attack she used yesterday to stop Mimikyu?"

"Huh?" May said, standing up in curiosity.

"When Mimikyu used Shadow Ball yesterday, Popplio jumped in the way of the attack to take it, but she ended up launching her own attack. It looked like several pink soundwaves, and it knocked out Mimikyu with the deflected Shadow Ball."

"Oh, that," May nodded. "That was Disarming Voice."

"What?"

"I went ahead and looked it up at the Pokemon Center when we arrived. However, I didn't want to push Popplio to try and use it yet. I wanna get the basics mastered first."

"I see," Lillie said. She looked at May, impressed. "I didn't realize you had a strategy for training Popplio. I don't meet many trainers who plan ahead like that; they usually just jump into battle and see what happens."

"Most beginners do that," she nodded. "I was like that, and so was Ash. But hey, we all have to start somewhere!" While Lillie mulled this over, May turned back to Popplio. "Ready to try again, Popplio?"

" _Io!_ " Popplio grinned, standing on her tail and striking a confident pose. Then she jumped up, flipping through the air, landed in a handstand position, then flipped again, standing on her tail once again in the same pose.

"Well done!" May giggled. Lillie couldn't help but smile as well. "Why don't you do that again?"

Popplio nodded and sprung even higher off the ground, flipping through the air. But midway through the air, something suddenly knocked her off her course and caused her to tumble over to the side.

"Popplio!" May cried.

"Oh no!" Lillie exclaimed. They ran over and saw the poor Pokemon caught in a net, forcibly curled up.

"A net?!" May exclaimed. "Is this Team Rocket again?!"

"Yo yo yo, check it!"

"Hey-o hey-o, deck it!"

May and Lillie turned to the source of the voice and saw two thugs dressed in black staring at them.

 _"All the kids in Alola want a trial to face;"_  
 _"But some of us never could meet that pace!"_  
 _"So we decided to forget it and make a new career;"_  
 _"And the way we roll is the way we appear!"_  
 _"We're a team!"_  
 _"We wear skulls!"_  
 _"So that makes us Team Skull!"_  
 _"And we do what we do until our ledger is full!"_  
 _"So we'll give you a trial, anytime, anyplace;"_  
 _"Team Skull's there to get right in yo' FACE!"_

On that last lyric, the thugs struck a bring-it post aimed straight at May. "You guys again!?" she exclaimed.

"Team Skull?" Lillie said softly.

"Ha! Stupid girl!" one of the thugs sneered. "You should know better than to take your Pokemon out for something other than a battle! Now we gonna rock you like a Rockin' Ralph!"

May and Lillie stood there with blank stares on their faces. "Um…" May said in a deadpan voice, "I think you mean _Wreck-It_ Ralph."

The thugs glared at her, annoyed. "Seriously?!" the other thug grumbled. "We can't even have fun with our rhymes, yo?"

"Ugh, what a waste of time," May grumbled as she pulled out her pocket knife and cut open Popplio's net, freeing her.

"Hey, whataya think you're doing?!" the first thug exclaimed.

"You can't do that! We're supposed to steal that Pokemon!"

" _Popplio!_ " Popplio cheered, snuggling up to her in fear.

"You okay, Popplio?"

" _Io_ ," she whimpered.

"Think you can battle?"

" _Io_!" Popplio shook her head, snuggling into May again.

"Don't worry," May smiled reassuringly. "I'm not gonna let them hurt you again."

" _Io_?"

"I promise." That was enough to convince Popplio. She jumped out of May's arms and faced Team Skull, ready for battle.

"Yo, what kinda weirdo are you?" the first thug blinked. "You can talk to Pokemon?"

"I'm not gonna answer that," May replied.

* * *

Rowlet fell to the ground, unconscious. "Rowlet!" Ash cried, running up to his scorched Pokemon. "Are you okay?"

" _Let_ ," Rowlet whimpered.

"You did a great job," he smiled, placing him in his backpack. "Take a good rest."

"Well-fought, Smeargle," Ilima said, recalling his Pokemon. He then looked up at Ash. "That was a good fight."

"I didn't know Smeargle could learn Ember," Ash mused, turning away from his pack to Ilima. "Then again, it's been a long time since I battled one."

"It's Smeargle's signature move Sketch," Ilima explained. "It can copy any Pokemon move in battle."

"I see," Ash nodded. "Well, I guess I'll go take Rowlet to the Pokemon Center." He turned back to his pack, only to see it gone. "Hey! Where'd my backpack go?!"

"Ha! Stupid kid," came the voice of a thug. "Shoulda' put 'em in a ball!"

"What?!" Ash exclaimed, turning towards the voice. Two thugs held his backpack, along with the sleeping Rowlet. "Hey, give that back!"

"No way," one of them shook his head. "We're looking for a good haul, and we got one! See ya 'round, kid! Ha ha!" With that, they took off.

"Get back here with Rowlet!" Ash yelled, running after them.

" _Pika pika_!" Pikachu echoed him, running with him.

"Oh my...how terrifying," Ilima rolled his eyes, following them. "Yungoos, help us out here," he said, throwing a Pokeball as he ran.

* * *

"Zubat, use Bite!" the Team Skull grunt called to his Pokemon. Zubat flew in to attack.

"Popplio, bounce over it and use Water Gun!" May commanded. Popplio did this and knocked Zubat to the ground with a powerful jet of water. Zubat didn't get back up.

"Are you for real?!" the thugs yelled. "Over already?!"

"Hey-o!" another voice called.

The two thugs turned and saw two other thugs run up to them. "Get a good haul?" the other thugs asked.

"Naw," the one that just got beat grumbled. "We almost got this Popplio, but its stupid trainer decided we couldn't have it."

"What?!" the other new thug growled. "You went for that Popplio?! Idiot!" He swatted his fellow thug over the head.

"Hey!" the thug that got smacked grunted. "Not cool, yo!"

"We don't need no stinkin' Popplio!" the thug who smacked him snapped. "Popplio's worthless! Nobody likes it!" He glared at Popplio in frustration. "You ugly little freak."

" _Io_?" Popplio whimpered, shrinking away.

"You're gonna pay for distracting my buddy," he said, cracking his knuckles. "I'm gonna beat you to a pulp!"

Popplio backed away again, still fearful. Then she saw her trainer plant herself firmly in front of her. "If you lay one hand on Popplio, I'll break every one of your skulls before you can say 'putting in work!'"

"Get outta my way," the thug growled, folding his arms, "or I'll kick your butt to the curb like it's the fourth of July!"

"Do your worst!" May grinned. The thug ran up to her...only for his nose to get smashed into his face after colliding with a fist.

"OWOWOWOWOWWW!" the thug screamed. "She clocked me!"

"Yo, this chick's got skills!" one of the other thugs said. They were all scared now.

"Let's just take the Rowlet and get outta here!"

"Hold it right there!" a familiar voice suddenly shouted. The thugs turned around and saw two people running up to them with two Pokemon. May recognized one of them immediately.

"Ash!" she exclaimed.

"You gotta be kidding me," one of the thugs grumbled. "Don't you know when to give up, yo?"

"Not until it's over!" he retorted. "You give back Rowlet right now!"

" _Pika pika_!"

"Get lost kid," the thug grumbled. "You're giving me a headache."

"Yeah, me too," said another.

"You're giving me pains, but I can't say where because this is a K+ story," said a third.

"I've had enough of your antics," a clearly annoyed Ilima grumbled. "Yungoos, use Tackle!" Yungoos ran forward and rammed into the thug holding Ash's backpack, knocking it into the air.

"Oh no!" the thug cried. "I dropped the backpack!"

"Well don't just stand there!" another thug yelled. "Get it!"

"Got it!" the thug said, running forward.

"Oh no you don't!" Ash said. He ran forward and rammed him out of the way with his shoulder.

"Ow!" the thug grunted, falling over. Ash looked up just in time to catch the falling backpack. He looked it over and found Rowlet was still asleep.

"What a trooper," Ash mused, smiling slightly. "I should name him 'Steve.'"

"Argh!" the thugs groaned. "Yo, what's the matter with you?!" one of them shouted. "What kinda bone you got to pick with Team Skull?!"

"The only kinda bone I have to pick with anybody," Ash replied. "No one steals Pokemon like that and gets away with it. If I was you, I'd get outta here before I do something else."

"Fine!" one of the thugs grumbled, clearly annoyed. "But don't think this is over! Next time we meet, we'll have a bone to pick with you!" With that, they walked away, doing a weird thug jig.

"Those guys again," May mumbled. "Who are they?"

"Don't mind them," Ilima said. "They're Team Skull: a group of ruffians who cause all kinds of trouble around Alola. They're really not that much trouble, though. Don't worry your head over them."

"I see," May mused. Her demeanor brightened suddenly. "And you are?"

"Ah, yes! Greetings!" Ilima said, extending his hand to her. "Captain Ilima here!"

"Captain?" May blinked, shaking his hand. "What do you mean by that?"

"I'm a Trial Captain," he explained.

"A Trial Captain?"

"Yep! We're the ones who guide you through the trials you face as you prepare to take on the Island Kahunas."

"Oh!" May exclaimed. "Then you can take us to our first trial?"

"Gladly!" Ilima grinned. "As soon as you're ready, I can take you to Verdant Cavern for your first trial in the Island Challenge!"

"Awesome!" Ash grinned. "But we should rest up first. I think Team Skull roughed us all up a little; if we want to take on the challenge, we need to be prepared."

"Let's go!" May grinned. They walked over to the Pokemon Center and went inside, followed by Ilima.

* * *

 **I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. It's not often that I laugh when I'm writing, but I couldn't help but snicker while writing this.**


	20. Chapter 2-5: Two is Company

**Whew! Sorry for the lack of updates these last two weeks. I can explain: two weeks ago was tech week for my show, and last week was Holy Week, so I decided not to update. Well, now it's the octave of Easter, so I can update freely again! And with school winding down, delays in updates should be fewer from here on out!**

 **I wanted to post two chapters today, but unfortunately this is the only one that's ready. It's pretty underwhelming, I know, but I guess it's better than nothing.**

* * *

Chapter 2-5: Two is Company

After they had their Pokemon healed, Ash and May left the Pokemon Center and went out into Hau'oli City's streets. "I wonder where Verdant Cavern's at," Ash mused.

" _Pika pika_."

"Ilima said that once his Pokemon were properly rested, he'd show us the way," May said.

Ash nodded and looked towards the horizon. It was a little past noon now, and they'd already had lunch. He sighed softly.

"What is it?" May asked, abruptly snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Nothing," Ash shrugged. "I was just thinking about Greninja."

"Greninja? Oh…"

"Yeah. I hope he's okay."

"I'm sure he'll be fine," May smiled, sidling up to him and leaning her head on his shoulder. Ash smiled, immediately reassured by her presence, and put his arm around her.

"What would I do without you?" he whispered softly.

"You wouldn't," was her reply. Ash just chuckled.

"Ahem!"

"Oh!" the two of them started, turning towards the source of the voice. It was Ilima. "Ready to take us to our first trial?" Ash asked.

"Not quite yet," Ilima said. "I need to go ahead of you two to make preparations. However, in order to save time, I'll go ahead and program your Rotom Dex to show you the way to the site when I'm ready."

"Sounds good," May said. She turned to Rotom Dex. "How 'bout it?"

" _Okay. Just be careful, zrrt_ ," Rotom Dex nodded. It hovered over to Ilima, who began tapping its screen. After a moment, he handed the Dex back to them.

"All done!" he smiled, then turned and walked away. "See you at the cavern!"

"Okay!" Ash grinned.

" _Pika_!"

"Oh, I can't wait for this!" Ash grinned.

"This is going to be so much fun!" May agreed.

"Fun? Is that all you care about?"

The two of them started again and turned to see their next companion. "Gladion?" Ash said.

"What are you doing here?" May asked, getting defensive.

"I was passing through," the young man said. "So you're taking on the Island Challenge, Ash?"

"Yes," Ash nodded. "We both are."

" _Pikachu_."

"I see," Gladion nodded. He looked down and put his hand on his forehead. "I don't care much for this whole Pokemon journey thing, but...good luck."

"Huh?" May blinked.

"Um...thanks," Ash shrugged. "But if you don't care for a Pokemon journey, why are you a trainer?"

"I didn't have much choice," Gladion replied.

"What?" May blinked, frowning. "What do you mean you didn't have a choice? What kind of parent forces their kid to become a trainer?!"

" _It's not like that_ ," Gladion growled, glaring up at them with that fierce glare and lowering his arms.

"Oh yeah?!" May growled. "Then what is it like, huh?!"

"May!" Ash snapped, putting his arm out in front of her. She glared at him a moment, then calmed down. Ash turned to their companion. "Sorry about that," he said. "I'm sure you have your reasons."

"Yes, I do," Gladion nodded. While he still had his perpetual scowl on, he stopped glaring. "Not that I'd expect you two to understand. It's not like you've ever been treated like fodder for a fanatic's ambition."

"Huh?" Ash and May blinked.

" _Zrrt! This guy givezz me the creeps!_ " Rotom Dex said, peeping out from behind them.

Gladion's eyes widened. "Is that a Rotom Dex?"

" _Yep, that'zz right!_ " Rotom Dex nodded.

"Hmph. How annoying." With that, he turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" Ash asked.

"To find a strong opponent to test Null's strength on," Gladion replied as he walked away.

"A battle?" Ash asked. "Hey, I can battle you if you want!"

" _Pika_!"

"Thanks, but no thanks," Gladion said without even slowing down. "I'm looking for someone more on _my_ level."

"What?!" May exclaimed. "Why, you –!" She ran after him, but Ash held her back.

"Let him be," he said. "If that's the way he'll be, he's not worth it."

" _Pikachu_."

" _Zrrt. What a jerk. He deservezz a kick in the –_ "

"Okay, enough of that," Ash said. "Let's go to Verdant Cavern. I'm a little impatient now."

"Oh! Ash! May! Wait for me!"

"Now what?" May moaned as they turned and saw Lillie come up to them.

Lillie stopped in front of them, relieved. "Oh, I'm glad to see a familiar face. I get lost so quickly. I can't figure out the roads here, I can't even buy my own clothes…"

"What, are you broke?" May interrupted her. "We have money to loan you if you need some new clothes."

"That's very kind of you, but I'll be okay," Lillie replied. "But you two...you're moving on to your first trial? You're going to Verdant Cavern?"

"You know it!" Ash grinned.

" _Pika_!"

"I see," Lillie nodded. She turned towards the horizon reflectively. "I read something in an old book once. It said that the island challenges were once a journey made to prove yourself and gain the strength to battle against the guardian deities of Alola."

"Guardian deities…" May mused.

"Like Tapu Koko?" Ash asked.

"Yes," Lillie nodded, only half-hearing them. Then she turned back to them. "The people of Iki Town said Tapu Koko loves Pokemon battles, didn't they?"

"Of course they did," May blinked, confused. "What's so unusual about that?"

"If we could meet Tapu Koko once more," Lillie went on, apparently ignoring May's question, "do you think we would find the answer to why it saved you and Nebby the other day, May?"

" _Pew_?" came Nebby's voice from within her duffel bag. She held it shut as though to prevent his escape.

"That's an interesting thought," Ash shrugged, confused but intrigued.

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu agreed.

"You're losing me, Lillie," May said. "Can't you talk on our level?"

"May!" Ash chided her half-jokingly. "It's not our fault we don't read as much as Lillie. We've been on the road for most of our lives! We don't have time to sit and read!" He looked at Pikachu, and the two of them started laughing.

"Maybe not, but that's no excuse to talk in riddles all the time," May snapped irritably.

"May!" Ash chided her, this time more seriously. She looked at him, then calmed down.

"Sorry," she said. "Nothing against you, Lillie. We ran into this jerk who thinks he's at the top of his class."

"Oh," Lillie said. "I see. I suppose there are a lot of people like that in the world, hm?"

"Plenty," May nodded. "That Glad Hand's gonna get a piece of me whether he likes it or not next time I see him!"

Ash began to sputter in laughter. "Glad Hand?" he repeated.

"Believe me Ash, I could think of several other nicknames that are even worse," May said softly but intensely.

"No, I actually like that name," Ash chuckled. "Stick with that."

May blinked. _He's really not taking Gladion's insults seriously enough, is he? Doesn't it bother him?_

"Um...Ash? May?"

"Yeah?" they said in unison, turning back to their friend.

"Good luck on your first trial," Lillie said. "I hope that it goes well for you."

"Thanks Lillie," Ash smiled warmly.

"Will we see you when we get back?" May asked.

"I hope so," Lillie nodded. "I'll probably just stay here and wait for you."

"All right, then," Ash nodded as he and May turned towards the path to the cavern. "See you around, Lillie!" With that, they set off, leaving the girl behind them.

"What remarkable people," she said softly. "They're so kind and friendly, even though we've only known each other a short time. I wonder why."

" _Pew_?"

She turned towards her bag, thinking. "Then again, I suppose I'm not as different from them as I think…"

* * *

" _Zrrrt! Just keep moving forward and you'll be at Verdant Cavern in no time!_ "

"Right," Ash moaned, his eyes drooping. "You've only said that eight dozen times."

" _Pika_ ," Pikachu moaned likewise.

"The cave can't be far, can it?" May groaned. "My legs are killing me."

"I wish Brock were here," Ash said. "He'd have something for us to eat so we could keep our strength up."

"Why didn't we eat a big lunch before we left?" May wondered.

" _Zrrt. You guyzz had ten malsaladazz each! How much do you need to eat before you're full?!_ "

"Lots," the two of them said at the same time. Rotom Dex just facepalmed.

" _Pika pika_?"

"No, Pikachu," Ash said. "I don't have any food in my bag. Get off of there."

" _Pi_?" Pikachu blinked in confusion.

"Um, Ash?"

"What?"

"Pikachu's on your shoulder, not your bag."

"Huh?" Ash blinked, perking up slightly and turning to look at his faithful companion. Sure enough, he was on his shoulder. "Wait...if you're right there, Pikachu, then what's on my back?"

May looked behind them and saw a familiar Pokemon clinging to Ash's bag. " _Brrrr!_ " it said.

"A Delibird?" May blinked.

Rotom Dex hovered over Delibird and scanned it. " _Delibird: the Delivery Pokemon. Although it naturally preferzz colder localezz, Delibird in Alola seem able to withstand the heat to a certain extent. It has a generouzz habit of sharing itzz food with people and Pokémon, so it'zz alwayzz scrounging around for more food._ "

"Well why is Delibird clinging to my bag then?" Ash wondered. "I don't have any food."

" _Pikachu_?"

" _Brr! Brrrrr!_ " Delibird said, pointing towards another path leading to a small field. Ash and May gasped.

"It's a berry field!" May cried.

"Praise Tapu Koko!" Ash said. "Let's go! I'm sure they have berries to spare over there!" With that, they took off so quickly that Pikachu ended up falling off Ash's shoulder.

" _Pika! Pika pikachu!_ " He shouted after them, unamused.

" _Izz your trainer usually like that?_ " Rotom Dex asked.

" _Pika pika_ ," Pikachu moaned, facepalming. With that, the two of them trotted along to catch up with Ash and May.

"What's going on over here?" Ash wondered.

"Come off it, old man!" a familiar female voice growled. "We're hungry, and we need food, so fork it over!"

"Team Rocket?!" May exclaimed.

The trio turned to see them and groaned. "Great, just great," James moaned. "Now the twerps are hungry, too."

"Sorry, but there aren't enough berries for da five of us!" Meowth snapped. "We're taking them all!"

"I don't understand!" the man they were harassing moaned. "This berry farm is for everyone, not just you three crooks. I would have been more than happy to give you berries had you simply asked. Why are you so insistent on stealing them?"

"Hush your mouth, old man!" Jessie snapped. "Hand over the berries, or we'll take them by force!"

"Leave him alone!" May shouted, getting their attention as they turned towards her. "If you're gonna stoop so low as to steal berries from a defenseless old man, then you don't deserve any food at all!"

"You stay outta this, twerpette!" Meowth snapped. "We ain't goin' nowhere until we had our fill ta eat!"

"Oh, don't worry," Ash growled. "You're about to get your fill. Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

" _Pika! Piiiikaaaaaa...CHUUUUUUUUUUU!_ " Pikachu screeched, unleashing his signature move against the hapless trio. What followed was predictable but no less satisfying for it.

"Why did we even stop to steal berries in the first place?!" Jessie groaned.

"We were hungry blockheads, that's why!" James said.

"I'm only seeing one block here, and it's _not_ on us!" Meowth chimed in.

"WE'RE BLASTING OFF AGAINNNNNNN!"

 _Ding_.

With Team Rocket gone, the old man came forward with a smile. "Ho ho!" he chuckled. "You and that Pikachu there did quite the number on them! Thank you for getting rid of them." He blinked and looked up. "Who were they? They didn't look like those numskulls from Team Skull who like to harass me every now and then."

"That was Team Rocket," Ash explained. "They're a bunch of bad guys who like to steal Pokemon."

"Team Rocket?" the man repeated. "The criminal organization from Kanto?"

"Those three were just three of their members," May said. "They're really not much worse than Team Skull."

"I see," the man nodded. "Well, in that case, I should reward you for getting rid of them. Anything I can do for –"

"FOOD, PLEEEEEZ," Ash and May immediately got Rockruff-eyes and fell on their knees, practically begging him. Pikachu and Rotom Dex just looked at each other blankly and shook their heads.

* * *

 **One more thing: anyone who knows me knows that I hate the Sun & Moon anime for it's incredibly stupid premise. But for how much I dislike it, I have to admit that it has its moments. And one of its best moments thus far has been the long-awaited episode where Ash _finally_ catches Litten. That episode is so emotional and heartbreaking that it almost made me do a complete 180 on my opinion of the series!**

 **But I digress. Feel free to rate and review!**


	21. Chapter 2-6: A Double-Team Takedown

Chapter 2-6: A Double-Team Takedown

"Nnnnnnngh," Team Rocket groaned. They were in a pile after their latest blast-off, and they were still hungry. "That didn't do us any good," James grumbled.

"Well maybe there's some food around here we can steal," Jessie mumbled.

"Speaking of which, where _is_ 'here?'" Meowth wondered, wriggling out from the bottom of the pile and looking around. The other two quickly got up and looked around. They were inside a cave with a few holes in the ceiling from which light shone in.

"Well this is new," James mused.

"I wonder what kind of Pokemon are hiding in here," Jessie said likewise.

"Ack!" Meowth suddenly exclaimed. "I hear a voice!"

"Hm?" Jessie and James craned their necks to listen. Sure enough, they heard a male voice. "Quick!" Jessie said. "Hide!" They slipped behind a wall as the voice's owner walked in.

"Now let me see," Ilima said. "Where are those Yungoos hiding today?" He peered into a hole in the ground, then rose up, confused. "Nobody home? Odd. There's usually one here to greet me. Were they scared off by something?"

"Uh-oh," Meowth whispered. "I think he's onta somethin'!"

"Stay low, Meowth," James ordered. "All good things to those who wait."

* * *

"Whew!" Ash said after he finished another handful of berries. "That was delicious."

"Thank you so much for the food," May agreed.

" _Pika Pikachu_."

"My pleasure," the berry man smiled. "If you're ever hungry again, look around for more berries. After all, they grow like...well, like weeds here in Alola. No need to be shy about eating them!"

"Thank you, sir," Ash smiled.

" _Pikachu_."

"Well, we should probably be on our way," May said. "We need to get to Verdant Cavern for our first trial."

"Ah, yes," the man said, taking note of the amulet May wore on her skirt. "Well, good luck to the both of you."

"Thanks again, sir," Ash said as they got up to leave. "We'd be happy to visit you again!"

"Goodbye!" May called back as they left. "Thanks for the berries!"

"Anytime!" the man replied as he waved to them. With that, they set off on their way.

"Boy, those berries sure fill you up," Ash said.

"I'll say," May agreed. "Though I noticed they had a bit of a tang to them."

"You too?" Ash blinked.

"Yeah. Then again, this is Alola. People are much more in tune with nature out here than we're used to."

"Well then!" Ash chuckled, "That would explain it!"

"Oh, look!" May said, pointing ahead of them. Ilima stood with his back to them, in front of the entrance to a cave. On hearing May's voice, he turned to greet them.

"Greetings," he said. "Captain Ilima here."

"Yeah, we know who you are," Ash chuckled. "You don't have to keep saying that."

"I know," Ilima returned the chuckle. "That's just my habitual way of greeting people. As for my trial..."

"Yes?" Ash and May said eagerly, clenching their fists in anticipation.

Ilima turned back towards the cave entrance. "It begins mere steps from here in Verdant Cavern!" Then he turned back to them, seeing their eyes sparkle with excitement. "Please be warned that the Pokemon living in Verdant Cavern are quite fierce. I wouldn't venture in until you're absolutely certain you're ready."

"We are!" the two of them said in unison, with Pikachu joining in with a " _Pika_!"

"Don't get cocky," Ilima went on. "Through attempting the trials during the island challenge, one can exceed his or her own limits. That is what the Alolan people believe."

"We believe it too," May nodded.

"Once you enter Verdant Cavern, you will not be able to leave until you have completed the trial. Are you prepared for the trial?"

"YES!" the two trainers said excitedly, nearly jumping out of their skin.

"Then come on in," Ilima said, turning and walking into the cave. "I'll be waiting for you!"

" _Oh boy!_ " Rotom Dex beeped. " _Time for training, time for trials! Time for us to storm the Verdant Cavern, zrrt!_ "

Ash and May eagerly walked in after Ilima, calling out their Alolan Pokemon as they did so. They looked to the ceiling, where small holes allowed some light to shine in. It looked like a jungle condensed into a cave.

"Wow," May said. "This looks so tranquil and peaceful."

" _Io. Popplio_ ," Popplio whispered, looking around in awe.

"I wonder what kind of Pokemon live in here," Ash mused.

" _Let. Rowlet_ ," Rowlet agreed, perching on his shoulder.

" _Zrrt. I'm just talking to fill in the gap._ "

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu rolled his eyes.

"That's right, take it in for a moment," Ilima said beside them. "We can begin when you're ready."

"We are," Ash and May grinned, turning to him.

"Such confidence," Ilima smiled softly. "Very well, then. Allow me to explain the basics of my trial. Your goal is simple: to defeat three of the Pokémon that lurk here in their dens! Then reach the pedestal deep within the cave and collect the Z-Crystal there. You'll need to be completely in sync with your Pokémon to succeed."

"No sweat!" Ash smirked. "We'll take down this trial without a hitch!"

" _Pika pikachu!_ " Pikachu agreed.

"Then what are we waiting for?" May grinned. "Let's go!" With that, the two young adults ran in with a childlike excitement.

"Good luck," Ilima smiled. "Let the trial begin!"

 **THE FIRST TRIAL**

"Okay!" Ash grinned. "So where are these Pokemon?"

"I bet they're hiding," May suggested. "See any good hiding places in here?"

"No," Ash shook his head. "They must be good hiding places if they're hidden so well."

Pikachu and Rotom Dex looked at each other with deadpan expressions.

"Hey, look!" May send, bending over beside a wall.

" _I'm looking, I'm looking, zrrt!_ " Rotom Dex said, hovering beside her. Pikachu saw what he was doing and swatted him with his tail. " _Yoww! What wazz that for?!_ "

"Anything in there?" Ash asked.

"Hard to tell," May said. "It's too dark in there, and my head can't fit through the hole."

"Hm…" Ash thought. He looked at Popplio and smiled. "Maybe Popplio should take a look."

"Oh, right!" May grinned. "Wanna try that, Popplio?"

" _Popplio!_ " Popplio nodded.

"Okay. Be careful in there," May said. Popplio nodded and scampered into the hole, looking around.

"See anything?" Ash asked. There was no answer. "Ah. I'll take that as a no."

"Don't worry," May looked up at him. "If she finds anything, she'll answer to me."

Ash blinked. "Will she answer to me?"

"No, she'll answer to me," May said.

" _No, meeeeeeeee!_ "

" _Iiiiiiiiiiii_!" Popplio squealed, scampering out of the den. Ash and May looked sharply as a mongoose-like Pokemon chased her out.

"Aha!" Ash grinned. "Here we go! What's this Pokemon?"

Rotom Dex hovered over the Pokemon and scanned it. " _Yungoos: the Loitering Pokemon. Yungoos will bite anything with its sharp fangs. It did not originally live in Alola but was imported from another region._ "

"Imported from another region?" Ash blinked.

"Wow," May mused. "That's not something you hear everyday."  
"Well I think today it's going to be exported!" Ash grinned. "Rowlet, I choose you!"

" _Rowlet!_ "

"Okay Rowlet, let's start this with Leafage!" Rowlet flew forward and fired several green balls of energy. They struck the Yungoos, forcing it to retreat backwards a little. Then it glared at Rowlet and charged forward with fangs bared.

"Those look like they could hurt," May shuddered.

"Rowlet, wait for it to come to you!" Ash said. Rowlet did so as Yungoos charged. Right when it was about to strike, Ash commanded, "Now jump to the side!" Rowlet jumped to the side. "Tackle it while it's distracted!" Rowlet rammed into it from the air, knocking it into the ground. "Good work!" Ash grinned.

Yungoos, however, was not finished yet. It jumped up and kicked sand in Rowlet's face, blinding it. "Uh-oh," May blinked. "Sand-Attack!"

"Don't let it get to you, Rowlet!" Ash called. "Use Leafage again!" Rowlet obeyed, and the green orbs floated towards Yungoos and hit it again. Exhausted from the fight, Yungoos collapsed. "Yeah, we did it!" Ash grinned.

" _Pi-pikachu_!" Pikachu cheered.

Ash walked up to Rowlet and brushed its face off. "Whew! You did a good job, Rowlet. Wanna rest for a bit?"

" _Rowlet_!" Rowlet nodded, hopping into Ash's backpack to sleep for a bit.

"All right," Ash said. He looked around the cave. "Now where would the next Pokemon be?"

"Eek!" May suddenly shrieked as something erupted beside her and attacked. "What is that?!"

"Whoa!" Ash exclaimed. "It looks like a Rattata!"

Rotom Dex hovered next to the dark Rattata and scanned it. " _Rattata: the Rat Pokemon. When the sun goes down, Alolan Rattata become active, gnawing through doors and infiltrating people's homes to steal whatever food it finds._ "

"Ack!" Ash exclaimed in a panic. "That's right! My first Pokedex called me stupid when a Rattata stole my food!"

"Well this little rat won't steal our food!" May snapped. "Popplio, let's go!"

" _Popplio_!" Popplio jumped forward and stood on her tail.

"Popplio, use Water Gun!" May commanded. Popplio jumped up and fired a jet of water from her nose, striking the Alolan Rattata. Rattata retaliated by rushing forward in a blur, slamming into Popplio. "Hang in there, Popplio," May encouraged her. Popplio listened and growled at the Rattata. The rat Pokemon responded by running forward again. "Now, just like we practiced! Use Disarming Voice!"

" _IIIIOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_ " Popplio cried, unleashing several pink soundwaves that knocked Rattata into the air. It promptly fell to the ground, its eyes turned to swirls.

"Nicely done, Popplio!" May grinned. "We did it!"

"That was pretty good," Ash agreed. "You and Popplio were perfectly in sync."

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu agreed.

"Well, that's two Pokemon down," May said. "Let's go find one more!"

"Yeah!"

* * *

Ilima sat beside the entrance to Verdant Cavern, hand on his chin. "Hm…" he mused. "I can't help but feel like I'm forgetting something."

* * *

"Any sign of those Pokemon?" James asked his teammates as they all peered into holes.

"Nothing," Meowth grumbled. "Are you sure you saw something in here, Jessie?"

"Positive," Jessie nodded. "If there's a rare Alolan Pokemon here, then our job is to steal it for the boss."

"Yeah, yeah," Meowth grumbled. "You've only said dat a hundred times since we got here."

Eventually, James sat up. "There's nothing here," he grumbled. "If there was a Pokemon in here, we'd have found it by now."

"I agree with James," Meowth grumbled, imitating him. "I'm tired of waiting for somethin' ta happen." As if to taunt him, a net suddenly erupted and trapped him. "Gah!" he cried. "What's this?!"

"What?!" James and Jessie exclaimed, the latter shooting up on hearing that her teammate was in danger. "Oh no, Meowth! Hang on!" She pulled out a pocket knife and cut the net open, freeing the scratch Pokemon. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Just fine, thank you," Meowth grumbled.

"Yo, what do you think you're doing?!"

"Eh?" the three of them looked up and saw two thugs standing beside them.

"Blast it!" one of them grumbled. "That talking Meowth would be the best thing Team Skull has ever gotten!"

"Sorry, but I'm taken!" Meowth snapped.

"Oh really?!" the other thug sneered. "You roll with _these_ losers?"

"Losers, you say?" Jessie sneered. "You've got a lesson to learn!

"Prepare for trouble, bring on the trial!"  
"Make it double, right on the dial!"  
"To protect the world from devastation."  
"To unite all peoples within our nation."  
"To denounce the evils of truth and love."  
"To extend our reach to the stars above."  
"Jessie!"  
"James!"  
"Team Rocket's blasting off at the speed of light!"  
"Surrender now, or prepare to fight fight fight!"  
" _Meowth_ , that's right!"  
" _Woooooobbuffet_!"

The two thugs stared at Team Rocket, unimpressed. "Yo, you're totally ripping off our style," the first one said.

" _WHAT?!_ " the trio screamed.

"How dare you accuse us of ripping you off!" Jessie shouted.

"We're the originators and copyright owners of that motto!" James shouted as well.

"And we're dang proud of it!" Meowth screeched.

" _Woooooobbuffet_!"

"Oh, really?" the second thug chuckled. "That's a good one, but enough of your amateurishness. Let the pro's teach you how it's done!" With that, they began jigging as they recited their motto:

" _All the kids in Alola want a trial to face;"  
_ " _But some of us never could meet that pace!"  
_ " _So we decided to forget it and make a new career;"  
_ " _And the way we roll is the way we appear!"  
_ " _We're a team!"  
_ " _We wear skulls!"  
_ " _So that makes us Team Skull!"  
_ " _And we do what we do until our ledger is full!"  
_ " _So we'll give you a trial, anytime, anyplace;"  
_ " _Team Skull's there to get right in yo' FACE!"_

They struck their bring-it pose at the end once again, while Team Rocket stared in shock. "You dare mock the Team Rocket motto?!" Jessie screamed.

"You'll pay for this!" James shouted, livid.

"Who do you think you are, ya posers!" Meowth shouted at them.

The Team Skull thugs dropped their ending poses and shrugged, unimpressed. "Were you really not listening to our motto? We're Team Skull, and we're here to get some rare Pokemon. So hand over the talking Meowth and we'll call it a day."

"Sorry, but I'm not up for trade!" Meowth snarled. "I'm sticking with Team Rocket, whether you like it or not!"

"Oh really?" the first thug sneered. "Well, if you won't surrender, then we'll take you by force!"

"Come and get me, then!" Meowth shouted, baring his claws.

"Let's go, Drowzee!" one of the thugs said, chucking a Pokeball. The hypnosis Pokemon emerged and stared at its opponents. "Use Hypnosis to put these losers to sleep!"

" _Drowzee_ ," Drowzee said, obeying and waving its hands left and right.

"Oh no you don't!" Jessie shouted, chucking a Luxury Ball. "Mimikyu! Stop them with Shadow Claw!"

The disguise Pokemon emerged and swiped at Drowzee with a dark claw, knocking it to the side. Drowzee, however, quickly got back up and continued using Hypnosis. Mimikyu attacked it again, knocking it against the wall. It fell to the ground, unconscious.

"What in the heckity-heck?!" the thug cried. "That demon Pikachu just took out my Pokemon like it was none of its business!"

"Bah! You're pathetic!" the other thug growled at his companion. "Let me handle this!" Before he could do anything, however, a harsh growling sound came from deep in the cave, startling all of them.

"What was that?" Jessie whimpered.

"It sounded hungry," James shivered.

"Too bad we don't have any food," Meowth shuddered.

"I think we _are_ its food!" James squealed.

"Uh-oh," the first Team Skull thug said. "Sounds like trouble. Should we bail?"

"Nah," the second thug chuckled. "I wanna see this. Let 'em have it, whatever you are!"

As if on cue, a massive, mongoose-like Pokemon leapt out and landed in front of Team Rocket, towering over them. The terrified trio began screaming in fear as the Pokemon stepped back briefly, then smashed them with its claw, knocking them into the sky. "AUUUUUGGGGGHHHHHH!"

"Could this day get any worse?!" Jessie shouted in anger as they flew through the sky. "As if all that wasn't enough, they ruined my hair!"

"You think _dat's_ the worst of our troubles?!" Meowth exclaimed. "Those boneheads totally ripped off our style! No one mocks the Team Rocket motto and gets away with it!"

"You thugs will pay for disgracing the Team Rocket motto!" James shouted back down to the thugs (assuming they could hear him). "Next time we meet, you'll be the ones to...to um…" He trailed off.

"You seriously couldn't think of a good comeback?" Meowth stared at him with a deadpan expression.

"I'm a bit of an airhead," James admitted sheepishly.

"Maybe if you didn't blast off so much you wouldn't be such an airhead!" Jessie growled.

"Hey, you guys blast off as much as I do!" James retorted.

"Oh," Jessie blinked. "Right…"

"AND WE'RE BLASTING OFF RIGHT NOWWWWWWWW!"

 _Ding._


	22. Chapter 2-7: Two Totems, One Takedown

Chapter 2-7: Two Totems, One Takedown

The massive Pokemon that blasted Team Rocket off gave a humph, satisfied with its work, and turned back into its hiding place. The two thugs of Team Skull watched this with excitement.

"Yo, that Gumshoos was _huge_!" one of them said.

"A haul like that would be perfect for the boss!" the other agreed.

"Let's capture it!" the first agreed. "Once the boss gets it, who knows what'll happen?"

" _We could be promoted!"  
_ " _We could be rich!"  
_ " _With that duly noted…"  
_ " _Team Skull's gotta ditch!"_

* * *

The normal-sized Gumshoos fell in defeat, as Ash and Pikachu stood over it, triumphant. "Whew!" Ash said. "That was a tough one. You good after that battle, Pikachu?"

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu nodded.

"Awesome," Ash grinned. He turned to May. "That's the third Pokemon. I guess that means we beat the trial!"

"Yeah!" May said excitedly. "Let's go get the Z-Crystal!"

" _Zzzt, that's right! Your first Z-Crystal!_ " Rotom Dex cheered.

With that, the duo ran to the end of the cave, where they found an exit that led into a small clearing, although they were still in the cave. They stopped a moment to look around and admire their surroundings.

"Wow," May said. "It's even brighter in here than it is in the cave!"

"Yeah," Ash nodded. They looked forward and saw a small pedestal. A gleam sparkled from it, grabbing May's attention. Excited, she ran forward towards it. Ash started to follow, but then stopped abruptly as something pierced his senses. His expression became dead-serious as he looked around sharply, on full alert.

 _Something's here_ he thought. _It's watching us. But what is it?_

"Ash, look!" May called as she stood over the pedestal, though he made no indication that he heard her. "I think I found the Z-Crystal!" She reached for it.

At that moment, Ash realized what she was doing. "May, don't touch it!" he cried and rushed forward, but he was too late. May placed her hand on the Z-Crystal, abruptly causing something to hiss. A shadow fell over them. They looked up and saw a massive Pokemon above them, ready to pounce. "LOOK OUT!" Ash screamed, wrapping his arms around her waist and yanking her back. They toppled over into a heap while the shadow landed in front of them, hissing ferociously. As they recovered from the shock of the moment, they felt something moving underneath them, underground. They leapt up just in time to avoid a massive rat-like Pokemon's eruption from the ground. It stood beside the other massive Pokemon and stared them down with it.

"That's a Gumshoos!" Ash said, pointing to the first Pokemon. "But what's the other one?"

"It must be an Alolan Raticate!" May exclaimed.

" _That'zz right!_ " Rotom Dex cheerily informed them. " _This gourmet Pokémon is particular about the taste and freshness of its food. Restaurants where Raticate live have a good reputation._ "

"Who cares?!" Ash shouted at the Pokedex. "This one's gonna kill us!"

"Oh no it's not!" May grinned in determination. "Ready for a real battle, Popplio?"

" _Bwark_!" Popplio cheered, jumping forward.

"All right, let's do this!" Ash grinned. "Rowlet, I choose you!"

" _Rowlet!_ " Rowlet chirped, jumping in front of its trainer.

At that moment, two energy flares surrounded the two Pokemon before they burst like a flash of light, surrounding the Pokemon. "GUH!" Ash cried in response, putting a hand to his head as though in pain and kneeling down.

"Ash, what's wrong?!" May said, frightened.

"Ungh," Ash grunted, standing back up slowly. "I'm fine. These Pokemon just have an aura about them…"

" _THHHHHHHH!_ " the massive Gumshoos hissed ferociously, and it rushed towards Rowlet.

"Rowlet, look out!" Ash cried, immediately snapping out of his stupor. Rowlet obeyed and flew up just as Gumshoos was about to snatch it. "Now, use Tackle!" Rowlet shot towards the Gumshoos and rammed into it. Then Raticate made its move, rushing at Rowlet with its fangs bared.

"Oh no you don't!" May shouted. "Popplio, use Pound to disorient Raticate!"

" _Bwark_!" Popplio said, jumping between the two and swatting Raticate with her glowing tail.

"Nice hit!" May complimented. Raticate, however, was completely unfazed and seized Popplio with its tail.

"Rowlet, use Tackle to free Popplio!" Ash commanded. Rowlet flew to Raticate and swept through its tail, loosening its grip on Popplio so the blue Pokemon could break free. Flipping through the air, Popplio landed on her tail, with Rowlet landing beside her. They stood and stared down the massive Pokemon back to back.

"We have have bitten off more than we can chew here," May said. "I don't think our attacks did anything to Gumshoos and Raticate, but Rowlet and Popplio have already taken quite a bit of damage."

"We'll have to adjust our strategy," Ash agreed. "What I don't understand is why our attacks aren't doing anything? All the other Pokemon acted like they got hurt when we attacked them, but these guys aren't even flinching."

Gumshoos and Raticate leered down at the two Pokemon, prompting the two to cower in fear. "Don't be scared, Popplio," May encouraged her Pokemon. "These guys might be bigger, but that just means they're gonna fall harder! We can do this!"

"You got this, Rowlet?" Ash grinned.

" _Row row!_ " Rowlet turned to him and nodded.

"Good, cuz I think I have a plan." He turned to May. "These Pokemon are tough, so we need to find a way to deal as much damage as possible. Can Popplio use Disarming Voice?"

"You bet she can!" May winked.

"Good," Ash grinned.

"You heard him, Popplio! Disarming Voice!"

" _Io! Iiiiiiii...OOOOOOOOOOOOO_!" Popplio screamed, unleashing several pink soundwaves. Raticate clutched its head, shrieking in pain, while Gumshoos groaned.

"Now, Rowlet!" Ash said, "Attack Gumshoos with Peck!" Rowlet flew up on Gumshoos' head and began pecking it. Gumshoos, noticing this, quickly recovered from its disorientation and whipped its head up, knocking Rowlet into the air. The owl-like Pokemon was startled a moment, but when it started to fall towards Gumshoos' open jaws, it quickly regained its senses and flapped its wings to save itself, unleashing a desperate Leafage attack in the process. The green energy spheres surrounded Gumshoos and sapped its energy, weakening it. Annoyed, Gumshoos jumped up and chomped down on Rowlet's wing, throwing it to the ground.

"ROWLET!" Ash cried as his new Alolan Pokemon crashed. When the dust settled from the impact, Rowlet was knocked out. "Oh, man," Ash said, coming up and cradling his Pokemon in his arms. "Are you okay?"

" _Let_ …" Rowlet whimpered in pain.

"Good job, little trooper," Ash said, placing it back in his backpack. "You deserve a rest."

By this point, Raticate had recovered from Popplio's attack and glared at the little blue Pokemon, clearly incensed. It ran towards it quickly, leaving the blue Pokemon no time to dodge. Luckily, she didn't have to.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash commanded.

" _Pika!_ " Pikachu said, rushing forward and ramming into Raticate, knocking it off its course.

"Now, use Iron Tail on Raticate!"

" _Chuuuuuu, Pika_!" Pikachu said, slamming the giant rat with a steel tail. Raticate quickly shook off the attack and ran towards Pikachu, fangs bared.

"Popplio, cover Pikachu!" May said. "Use Disarming Voice!"

" _IIIIIIIOOOOOOOOOO_!" Popplio screeched. Raticate once again reeled in pain from the attack. Gumshoos also groaned again, as the attack hit it as well.

"Wait a minute," Ash said, his eyes widening. "That's it!"

"Huh?" May blinked. "What's it?"

"These Pokemon are resistant to physical attacks!" Ash exclaimed.

"They are?" May said, confused.

"Yes, don't you see?" Ash said excitedly. "The reason they were unfazed earlier was because Rowlet and Popplio were using physical attacks on them like Tackle and Pound. But when Popplio used Disarming Voice, they were both disoriented, and when Rowlet used Leafage, Gumshoos didn't take it very well!"

May's eyes widened as well. "Now that I think about it, you're right! So special attacks are the key to victory!"

"Yes!" Ash nodded. "All right, Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt on Gumshoos! Let's show this oversized mongoose what a real attack feels like!"

" _Pika!_ " Pikachu agreed before jumping into the air. " _Piiiiiikaaaaaaa...CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUU_!" He unleashed his signature move and scored a direct hit on Gumshoos. The attack clearly took its toll, as Gumshoos bent down, panting.

"All right!" Ash cheered. "Almost there!"

"Ash, watch out!" May exclaimed. Raticate was running at Pikachu too quickly for him to escape. Seeing this, May took matters into her own hands. "Popplio, get behind Pikachu!" she said. Popplio did so. "Now, use Disarming Voice again!"

"What?!" Ash exclaimed. "But May, it's going to hit Pikachu!"

"Trust me," she winked. Popplio obeyed and unleashed another attack. Pikachu got caught in the middle of it, pulling his ears down to drown out the sound of Popplio's scream, but it still hurt.

" _Pika pika!_ " he screamed in annoyance. His voice, to Ash's shock, also emitted pink sound waves that struck Raticate, doubly disorienting it.

"Now!" May cried triumphantly. "Finish it off with Water Gun!"

Popplio leapt into the air and fired a powerful jet of water from her nose, slamming Raticate. The massive Pokemon cried out in pain. When the attack finished, Raticate stood there a moment. Then it fell forward and fainted on the ground, defeated.

"Wow!" Ash exclaimed. "That was amazing!"

" _Pikachu_!" Pikachu agreed. Gumshoos hissed angrily and glared at Pikachu, ready to finish him off.

"Pikachu!" Ash commanded. "Use Electro Ball!"

" _Pika! Chuuuuuuu...PIKA_!" Pikachu cried, leaping into the air and firing a large ball of electric energy from his tail. It hit Gumshoos dead-on, creating a dust cloud from the impact. When the cloud faded, Gumshoos fell down and fainted as well.

"Yeah, we did it!" Ash cheered.

" _Pika pikachu_!" Pikachu cheered as well.

"Awesome job, Popplio!" May said as her Alolan Pokemon jumped into her arms. "You were amazing!"

" _Bwark_!" Popplio barked happily.

"Well done, you two! What exceptional trainers you are!"

They turned and saw Ilima walking up to them. "I must apologize for my foolishness," he said. "I forgot to tell you about the most fearsome Pokemon in this cave: the Totem Pokemon!"

"Totem Pokemon?" Ash blinked.

"Yes. Every trial you will face in Alola will be different from the last, but each one will culminate with you battling a powerful opponent: a Totem Pokemon. These Pokemon will be your ultimate challenge in these trials. In defeating them, you shall prove yourselves worthy of the Z-Crystal they guard."

"The Z-Crystal," May said, turning back towards the pedestal. "So that's why they attacked us."

"Precisely," Ilima nodded. "But the crystal is yours for the taking now. I think you've more than earned it."

May smiled and walked up to the pedestal, but as she reached out to take it, she hesitated. "When I tried to take this last time –"

"Don't worry about that," Ilima assured her. "Like I said: you've earned it."

May smiled softly and took the crystal in her hands. It gleamed in the light from above.

"All right!" she said striking a pose. "We got a Normalium Z!"

" _Pi-Pikachu_!" Pikachu cheered with her.

" _Bwark_!" Popplio agreed.

"Hey!" Ash said, looking annoyed. "That's my bid!"

"Oops!" May exclaimed. "Sorry. I forgot to include you. Um...should we do that again?"

Ash chuckled and put his arm around her. "Nah," he said softly, kissing her cheek. "I'm good."

She smiled back at him. "Well, what are we waiting for?" she smirked. "Let's go back to Iki Town to show off our new Z-Crystal!"

"Let's do it!" Ash agreed. With that, the duo strode out, heading for the cavern's entrance with their Pokemon, while Ilima watched them with a small smile.

"Seems our next Island Challenge Champions have begun their journey," he said to himself.

* * *

 **And with that, Ash and May have completed their first trial!**

 **I was a little hesitant to upload this today, since the episode that's airing this Thursday features Totem Raticate. It's not clear what its role is going to be, or who's going to get that Darkinium Z in the end. Either way, I've decided that I don't care, as I have my own plans. On another note, I'm pretty hyped that Gladion's going to appear soon! And his red Z-Ring looks SICK!**

 **Anyway, thanks for reading! As always, feel free to rate and review, but no flames, please!**


	23. Chapter 2-8: A Search for Beauty

Chapter 2-8: A Search for Beauty

Ash and May walked out of the cave, grinning brightly. "Totem Pokemon, huh?" Ash said to himself. "Well, that's the biggest challenge I've faced since we came here on vacation!"

" _Pikachu_!" Pikachu agreed.

"And nothing makes Ash Ketchum light up like a real challenge!" May proudly declared.

The two of them chuckled with each other for a moment. "So," Ash asked after regaining his composure, "how's Popplio?"

May pulled out her Pokeball and looked at it. "A little winded from that battle, but otherwise she's good. How's Rowlet?"

Ash looked over at his backpack, where the small owl-like Pokemon still slept. "A little out of it," he admitted. "I guess Rowlet wasn't ready for a real battle."  
" _Pika pika_ ," Pikachu agreed.

"Maybe not," May shrugged, petting the sleeping Pokemon gently. "When we get back to Iki Town, we should rest our Pokemon."

"Agreed," Ash nodded. "So let's go!"

"Hey, you two!"

The two of them turned and saw Professor Kukui walking up to them with a smile. "Hey, Professor!" Ash said.

"Check out our new Z-Crystal!" May said as well, holding the crystal up for him.

Kukui came to them and admired the crystal. "A Z-Crystal, yeah? Then that must mean you cleared your first Island Trial!"

"That's right!" Ash grinned.

"Nice work, cousin!" Kukui smiled, wiping his brow.

May blinked. "The heat getting to you, Professor?"

"Not really," he replied. "I'm used to it, yeah. I just used a Z-Move a moment ago."

Ash blinked in confusion. "Is that why you look tired?"

"Phew! Yeah," Kukui nodded. "Z-Powers heap all of a trainer's feelings onto a Pokemon, which totally wears you out. Using Z-Power once per battle is all a team can handle, yeah."

"Really?"

"Really really."

"Wow," Ash mused, putting his chin in his hand. "That kinda reminds me of a power my Greninja has."

"What's that now? Oh, wait!" Kukui exclaimed suddenly. "I just remembered why I used that Z-Move in the first place! I lost Lillie somewhere on Route 3!"

"Oh?" May blinked.

"That sounds like trouble," Ash said.

" _Pika pika_ ," Pikachu agreed.

"Help a professor out, will ya, cousin?" Kukui said. "Let's split up to find her."

"Right!" May nodded. With that, the three of them split up to go search for Lillie. For May, however, it didn't take long to realize that they should have made some sort of plan, as she quickly got lost.

"Isn't this why I wanted to travel through Hoenn with Ash in the first place?" she berated herself.

" _Zrrt. Beatz me_ ," was all Rotom Dex said in response.

May tried to go back to where she started from, but she ended up even more lost. "Oh," she moaned. "Just my luck." At that moment, she heard what sounded like someone being attacked a short distance away. Someone screamed in pain. "Uh-oh!" she gasped. "Is Lillie in trouble?" She ran towards the sound and stopped right outside a small rocky alcove. She heard another groan of pain. At that, she ran through the entrance to the alcove. To her disappointment, there was only a familiar trainer and his Pokemon there.

He looked up when she came in. "Oh," he mumbled. "It's you."

"I could say the same for you, Glad Hand," she replied, tensing up.

"Hmph," Gladion grumbled, turning back to Null to look it over.

"Wait," May said, "While I'm here, I was wondering if you could help me."

"Get out."

"Have you seen a girl come by here?"

"Nope."

"You're sure about that?"

"Go away."

"She has long yellow hair, a white summer dress, and a large wide-brimmed hat to match."

At that Gladion paused what he was doing and turned to her. "No," he replied simply. In that moment, May noticed something different in his demeanor. Although he was still frowning, his eyes seemed slightly softer, almost a little sad even. Before she could take this in, he turned away.

"Okay," she said. "Thanks for the help...or not." With that, she turned and walked away with a frown, leaving Gladion alone with Null.

"Come on," he said to his Pokemon. "Back to training."

* * *

"I hope she's okay," Ash said as he walked along. "I'd hate to see her get hurt."

" _Pika pikachu_ ," Pikachu agreed.

Ash paused a moment to catch his breath. As he did so, he felt the soft breeze flow through his hair. He sighed, content, and looked over the nearby ocean. He heard the waves rolling along, soothing his ears. "What a beautiful place," he said softly. "It's amazing how much of this world we haven't explored yet, even though we've seen so much."

A crashing sound from a short distance away snapped him out of his reverie, as he turned sharply towards it. Glancing worriedly at Pikachu, he ran towards the sound and found a small alcove. On entering it, he found a small secluded meadow. He looked around, mesmerized by the beauty of it all once again.

And then he saw her. "Lillie?" he said softly.

To his surprise, the girl in white didn't hear him. She was too busy looking over the meadow, a worried frown on her face. "Nebby!" she called. "Nebby, come back!"

"Uh-oh," Ash mused. "This looks like trouble." He came forward. "Lillie?" he said again, this time louder.

"Ah," Lillie said, turning around. Ash noticed she didn't flinch at the sound of his voice this time. "Ash...Nebby ran off into the meadow here." She turned towards a small ledge not far away. There, the mischievous little blue Pokemon floated, seemingly without a care in the world.

"Seriously?" Ash blinked. "Even after all the trouble he got himself into on that bridge back in Iki Town?"

"I know," Lillie nodded. "What if a wild Pokemon attacks it? It doesn't have any moves it can use to battle!"

"Don't worry," Ash said, coming closer to her and holding up a determined fist. "I'll take care of him." With that, he ran to the ledge and stood over the little Pokemon. "Nebby?"

" _Pew_!" Nebby said with a smile.

Ash sighed and shook his head while Pikachu facepalmed. "You really should be more careful, Nebby. Come on, follow me," he said, turning back towards Lillie. Nebby cheerfully followed, bouncing along.

"Oh, you!" Lillie moaned when they came back to her.

" _Pew_?" Nebby shrugged innocently. At that moment, a Pokemon flew forward and pecked at him, causing him to shriek in pain.

"Hey, back off!" Ash snapped. Pikachu instinctively jumped off his shoulder and rammed into the Pokemon with Quick Attack. The Pokemon quickly retreated, while Pikachu returned to his trainer's shoulder.

Lillie looked up at Ash again. "Thank you, Ash. And thank you too, Pikachu." She looked out at the meadow. "Do you know what that Pokemon was, Ash?"

"No," Ash admitted. "I've never seen it before."

"It's an Oricorio," Lillie explained. "I read something interesting in a book once. It seems Oricorio changes appearance by feeding on the nectar from different types of flowers. It doesn't actually evolve; it just changes form."

"Really?" Ash said. "That's interesting."

"Isn't it?" Lillie agreed. "I always thought so."

" _Pew_!"

Lillie turned to Nebby, mildly annoyed. "Back into the bag, please, Nebby. I know there aren't many people around to see you here, but that's hardly an excuse!"

"Ash! Lillie!"

"Hm?" they said, turning toward the familiar voice. "Hey, May!"

"Lillie!" May said, coming up to her. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, thank you," she replied. "I just lost track of Nebby, that's all."

"Oh," May nodded. "I see. Well, we should probably get going. The professor's worried about you."

"I'm not surprised, since we just disappeared on him like that," Lillie agreed. With that, Nebby hopped back into her bag, and she started for the exit. May followed her. Ash started to follow as well, but then he paused and looked back at the meadow. Once again, he was mesmerized with its beauty and wished he could stay longer.

"Ash!"

The sound of his girlfriend's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, only for another to pop into his head. With a smile, he walked back into the meadow a moment, bent down and picked a small flower out. In contrast to the yellow flowers covering the meadow, this one was a deep pink with white tinge. _Perfect_ he thought. He turned back and walked up to them.

"What are you doing?" she blinked. "We need to go."

"I know," he said, his smile not wavering. "I just wanted to get something real quick."

"What was so important –?" May started to berate him, but she was silenced when he brought his hand up and put something in her hair. She blinked in confusion and pulled that something down. It was the pink flower he picked. "Wha –" she said softly.

"Alola's a beautiful place," he said. "Don't you think it seems fitting that I should get a keepsake for my girlfriend? After all, she's even more beautiful than the whole region put together."

At that, May blushed heavily. "Ash," she whispered, putting the flower back in her hair. She struggled the make it stick, so Ash helped her out. "Thank you," she said, smiling softly.

"Don't mention it," he smiled back at her.

"Um," Lillie interrupted, "could you wait to have a romantic moment later, please? We need to find the professor."

"Sorry," Ash shrugged. "Let's go." With that, they walked out of the meadow, unaware of a bird-like Pokemon watching them with a slightly annoyed expression.

 _That was my favorite flower!_ it thought, irritated. _How dare those humans steal it!_ With that, it hopped after them.


	24. Chapter 2-9: The Ruff Side of Alola

Chapter 2-9: The Ruff Side of Alola

"Any idea where the professor is?" Ash asked as they walked out.

"He's not far off," May said. "I ran into him while searching, so I'll show you guys the way."

"He-e-ey, Ash!"

The threesome turned and saw a familiar face coming up to them. "Hau!" May exclaimed happily.

"Hey there, Hau!" Ash grinned.

The energetic trainer smiled, then noticed their friend. "Oh! And Lillie's with you too!"

"What are you up to, Hau?" Lillie asked.

"Just finished up my trial! Heh!"

"Great!" Ash smiled. "Was it any trouble?"

"Nah," Hau grinned. "I mean, Team Skull did try to make things difficult, but otherwise it was no trouble!"

"Team Skull?" Lillie blinked.

"I'm guessing they weren't any trouble, were they?" May asked with a deadpan expression.

* * *

" _Grrrrrrrrr, ruff ruff ruff_!" a Rockruff growled.

"N-Nice doggy," one of the terrified thugs of Team Skull said, holding his hands out to stop the puppy Pokemon. They were backed up against a wall. "Nice doggy!"

"You want a treat?" the other one said, equally terrified. "W-We've got plenty of them, you know?"

" _Ruff ruff_!" was Rockruff's reply.

"I'll take that as a no," the second thug said, still terrified.

* * *

"Nope!" Hau chuckled. "No trouble at all! Hey, May! I wanna see if I learned anything from my trial. Let me battle you again!"

"Oh!" May exclaimed.

"Um," Ash said, "I think this is a bad time, Hau. Can we get back to Iki Town first?"

"Oh, sure!" Hau nodded. "Sorry. I guess I got a little carried away."

"It's okay," May smiled. "When we get back to Iki Town, the first thing we'll do is battle!"

"Hey there, Ash and May!"

The foursome turned and saw Kukui coming to them. "I knew I could count on you, yeah!" he grinned. "Thanks for getting Lillie for me!" He then turned to Hau. "Say there, Hau, have you finished your first trial, too? I bet you used some stylin' moves, yeah?"

"Heh heh," Hau chuckled, putting his arms behind his head. "Right."

"Hala's probably rubbing his hands together in glee right now!" Kukui grinned.

"I'll bet!" Ash agreed.

" _Pikachu_!"

"And he's probably looking forward to battling you, yeah!" Kukui said. "That's your next step, right?"

"Right!" the three of them cheered.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Kukui grinned. "Let's catch this tailwind and blast back through Route 3 to Iki Town!"

"Sounds like a plan!" Ash cheered. With that, the group made their way towards Iki Town.

* * *

"Please don't hurt us, little doggy!" the first Team Skull thug whimpered. "We ain't gonna hurt ya!"

"We just need something for the boss, that's all!"

" _Ruff ruff_!" Rockruff barked.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me. You call me up for an emergency...and you're scared of a _Rockruff_?!"

The two thugs turned and saw their companion staring at them with contempt, Null standing behind him. "Unbelievable," Gladion grumbled. He turned to Rockruff irritably. "Get lost. They're not worth your trouble." The puppy Pokemon looked at Null, whimpered fearfully, then ran off. "Hmph," he mumbled. "How annoying."

"Thanks, yo," the second thug said. "We were worried we were going to be Rockruff meat."

" _IT'S A PUPPY_ ," Gladion growled. " _IT CAN'T EVEN_ HURT _YOU_. Do you have any idea how pathetic you look right now?! Get outta here before I report this to your boss and give you something to actually be scared of!" The thugs panicked and ran away, terrified of the thought. As he watched them leave, Gladion put his hand on his forehead, thoroughly irritated. After a few deep breaths, however, he calmed down and followed them out of the cavern. Null started to follow, but then it abruptly stopped. Its senses tingled, and it sniffed the air. It then began growling, turning back towards the cavern at the end of the cave.

Gladion halted and turned back, seeing his Pokemon wasn't following. "Null?"

Null began sluggishly running towards the end of the cave, rumbling angrily as it did so. "Null, where are you going?!" Gladion exclaimed, running after it. They came to the end of the cave and saw a small pedestal standing before them. Gladion looked to the side and saw a large Alolan Raticate sleeping on its side.

At that moment, a loud humming sound grated their ears. "Argh!" he groaned, squeezing his eyes shut and covering his ears. The sleeping Raticate awoke, annoyed, and glared as a mysterious rift opened. The humming sound also piqued the curiosity of the Rockruff Gladion had scared off. It came and looked up at the rift, curious. Eventually the humming stopped, and Gladion looked up.

And then he saw it.

"No," he breathed. "It can't be!"

 _Brr-rrr-rrr_

"How could you come here?! You can't tell me you opened a wormhole all on your own!"

" _Grrrrrrr_ ," the Raticate growled, glaring at the mysterious creature. It resembled a jellyfish whose top was made of glass. Its innards seemed hollow, as though it were looking for someone to wear it like a hat. Raticate leapt forward and rammed into the creature, knocking it to the side. The creature retaliated by emitting a strange psychic wave, which caused Raticate to clutch its head in pain.

"That attack," Gladion mused. "That was Psywave...but how did it affect Raticate?"

Raticate regained its composure and attacked the creature with a bite attack. The creature shrieked horrifically and sprayed a stream of acid at Raticate. It burned the Totem Pokemon's fur, and it retreated in pain, but the creature wasn't finished with it yet. It flew towards it.

"No!" Gladion snarled, standing between them. "You will not harm it any further, beast! I will exterminate you here and now! Come on, Null! Let's go!" Null obeyed its trainer's call and came forward. "Open this up with Tackle!" Null ran forward and tried to tackle the beast, but it was too slow, and the beast simply hovered out of the way. "Ugh! Use Imprison! If we can keep it in one place, speed won't be a problem!" Null's eyes glowed in response, and an energy cage appeared around the beast. "Now, try tackling it again!" Null ran forward and rammed into the beast. It shuddered at the impact, but its confinement was broken as a result, and it glared at Gladion, if that were even possible. It began moving towards him.

 _Brr-rrr-rrr_

"What do you want?" he growled as it drew closer, causing him to shiver.

 _Brr-rrr-rrr_

"Get away," he said. "Get away!" He found himself backed up against a wall. Unseen by him, the Rockruff from earlier was running towards him.

 _BRR-RRR-RRR_

Gladion shut his eyes tightly, bracing himself for a world of pain. But instead of feeling pain, he heard only a sharp stab, followed by a sharp whimper. His eyes shot open, only to fall in horror on the sight that lay before him. "What?!" Rockruff stood between him and the beast, and it had stabbed the puppy with one of its tentacles. It withdrew, leaving Rockruff standing still before the poor Pokemon collapsed.

"Arceus," he breathed. "No!" He looked up at the seemingly remorseless beast, hovering over him. "YOU!" he screamed. "You will pay for hurting this innocent creature!" The beast ignored him and floated towards the ceiling, disappearing. "ARGH!" Gladion roared in rage, helpless to stop it. He turned to Null, who looked remorseful for failing its trainer. "Good work, Null," he said, recalling it. "Rest up, until we find the beast again." He put the Pokeball on his belt and turned to the unconscious Rockruff. He knelt over it.

"Why," he whispered, his voice becoming emotional and shaky. "Why did you do that? That beast could have killed you!" He cradled the puppy in his arms. "Come on," he said. "I need to get you treated right away. You saved my life...it's only fair that I return the favor." He ran out of the cave. "Please don't die," he said, trying to control his emotions. "It wouldn't be fair for either of us."

In the midst of his emotions, he didn't notice the Alolan Raticate eyeing him with a curious expression. It had seen everything and clenched its fist in resolution.

* * *

 **This chapter got a little darker than this story has gotten thus far. Do you think I went beyond the standard K+ rating?**


	25. Chapter 2-10: Wither We Bound?

**The preview for next week's episode is looking good. As for this story...looks like I failed a spot check in a future chapter. I'll look into that while you guys read this.**

* * *

Chapter 2-10: Wither We Bound?

"We're here," Lillie said as they walked into Iki Town.

"Great!" Ash grinned. "Now where's the kahuna? I'm ready to battle him!"

" _Pi Pikachu_!"

"Whoa whoa, hold on, now!" Kukui chuckled. "Before we go taking down kahunas, why don't you let your Pokemon rest properly, Ash?"

"Don't worry, I didn't forget," Ash grinned. "I just want to let the kahuna know that we cleared the trial!"

Kukui chuckled again. "You know, I'm lookin' forward to seeing what moves you and your Pokemon will pour your soul into now that you've gone and cleared your first trial!"

"Yeah!" Hau grinned.

Even Lillie couldn't help but smile. "I'm not a trainer, so I'm sure I don't really understand how hard it must have been...but I still think it's a real achievement on your part."

" _Pew_!" Nebby agreed from within her bag, startling her and prompting her to hold it tight so the little Pokemon didn't escape.

"Well, before you guys take on my grandpa," Hau said, "I wanna battle May, like she said we would."

"Sounds like a plan," Ash agreed.

"I agree," May nodded.

"Great!" Hau grinned. "So let's up the ante this time and make it a two-on-two battle!"

May blinked. "Two-on-two?"

"Yeah! I have my Pichu and my Litten to take on your Popplio and...erm...oh, wait! You don't have anymore Pokemon!"

"No, I don't," May said.

"Oh," Hau said, disappointed. "Then I guess we'll make it a one-on-one, then."

At that moment, they heard a commotion not far off. "Huh?" Ash blinked.

"What's going on?" Hau wondered.

"Excuse me!" a voice said. "Move it! Let me through! Argh! OUT OF MY WAY!" The small crowd quickly dispersed as a familiar young man ran towards the Pokemon Center.

"Hey, that's–!" Ash exclaimed.

"Wow," May grumbled, watching the young man recklessly plow his way through town. "I knew he was a jerk, but this is ridiculous." She went towards the Pokemon Center, and Ash followed. Hau started to follow, but then he heard a voice call his name:

"Hau!"

He turned and saw his grandfather coming to him. "Hey, tutu. What's up?"

"So you've cleared your first trial, have you boy?"

"Yes sir!"

"Excellent!" Hala chuckled heartily. "Then come with me. I'll train with you, if you want it."

"Sure! That'd be great!" Hau agreed excitedly.

* * *

Nurse Joy stood behind the counter of the center, shuffling through some paperwork. Then the door to the center opened and a young man rushed in. A small, puppy Pokemon was cradled in his arms.

"What –?!" Nurse Joy exclaimed.

"Nurse Joy!" Gladion exclaimed. "This Pokemon got hurt in a battle. It's really sick. Please, you have to help it!"

"A Rockruff?" she blinked. "What exactly happened?"

"I'll explain later," Gladion snapped. "Please, just take Rockruff to urgent care!"

"Okay," Nurse Joy said, taking the Pokemon. "Please give me a moment, then come and explain what happened."

"I will," he replied as she took the Pokemon into the back room. When she was gone, he went over and sat in a chair, his head in his hands. "Arceus watch over him...please, don't let him die."

"You!"

He dropped his hands, irritated. "Not now."

"Yes, now!" May growled, storming up to him. "You have a lot of nerve, storming into town like that and pushing people around like it's none of your business. Just who do you think you are?!"

"I _said_ not now," Gladion growled back, trying to control his temper.

"I don't care what you say! You're nothing but a bully! I'm not scared of bullies! You wanna know what happened to the last bully I –"

"NOT! NOW!" Gladion screamed, standing up and getting in her face. The moment he stood up, the door to the Pokemon Center opened, and Ash walked in.

"Hey!" he shouted, coming up to them. "Who's causing trouble here?"

"[S]He is," May and Gladion said at the same time, pointing at each other.

Ash and Pikachu looked between them, trying to figure out who started it. Eventually, Ash just shook his head while Pikachu flopped over, dizzy from looking back and forth.

"May, go take our Pokemon in to get treated," he said, handing her Rowlet and Pikachu. "I'll handle him."

"Fine," May moaned, taking the Pokemon. Shortly thereafter, Nurse Joy came out.

"Oh!" she said. "Would you like to rest your Pokemon?"

"Yes," May said.

"All right, then," Nurse Joy said. "I have a Pokemon in urgent care right now, so it might be a bit longer than usual before your Pokemon are fighting fit again."

"Thank you," May smiled, then her eyes widened. "Wait...urgent care?"

"Yes," Nurse Joy said.

"What happened?" Ash asked.

"That's what I came out here to find out," she replied. She then turned to Gladion. "Tell me what happened."

"Wait, what?" May said.

"I got into a fight with a poisonous Pokemon," Gladion said. "That Rockruff jumped in the way of an attack that was aimed at me and took the hit." He looked down somberly. "I knew he wouldn't survive if I left him out there, so I brought him here as fast as I could." He turned away, to hide his glimmering eyes. "I just hope I got him here in time to save him."

Ash was surprised. May was in shock. "You seem like a good young man," Nurse Joy smiled. "Don't worry, everyone. I'll take good care of all of these Pokemon." With that, she took the Pokemon into the back room.

"Gladion," May said softly, coming up to him. "I –"

"Not. Now," Gladion said softly but firmly. May guiltily turned away and walked out. Ash watched her go, concerned, then turned back to Gladion.

"You know," Ash said, "sometimes when something's bothering me, I battle to clear my head."

"Thanks, but all your Pokemon are back there with Rockruff," Gladion replied, turning to him. "You'd just give me an instant win, and that's the kind of win I _refuse_ to accept."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Ash grinned sheepishly, putting a hand behind his head. "Well, I'm gonna go check on my girlfriend. See you round, Gladion." He turned and started to walk away.

"Hey, Ash?"

He stopped and turned back to him. "Yeah?"

"I _would_ like to battle again before we leave town. Let's just let our Pokemon rest first, all right?"

Ash listened to this and smiled softly. "Deal." With that, he turned and walked out.

* * *

May sat on the steps that served as the entrance to the town, her arms resting on her knees. "He saved that Pokemon?" she said softly. "But why? I thought he was a jerk!" She sighed and shook her head. "Maybe I misjudged him. He must've felt terrible, seeing Rockruff do that for him." She looked back towards the center. "I hope they'll be okay."

At that moment, she felt something get yanked off her head. "Hey!" she exclaimed. She put her hand on her head and discovered what just happened. The flower Ash gave her was gone! "Oh no...no! Where'd it go?!" She stood up and looked around wildly...before she found it in the beak of a small yellow Pokemon.

"Hey!" she exclaimed. "That's mine!"

" _Corio_!" the Pokemon chirped back at her angrily, and it started to hop away.

"Give that back!" she snapped, running after it. The Pokemon hopped away quicker than she expected, but she still caught up with it quickly. She dove for it and snatched it in her hands, knocking the flower out of its beak. Seeing this, May ran forward to recover the flower, but as soon as she reached for it, the Pokemon began pecking her hand. "Ow!" she cried, recoiling. The Pokemon then took the flower again, only for May to catch it again. This time, she forcibly pried the flower out of its beak and reached for her hair, only for the Pokemon to swat her with its wing and knock the flower out of her hand. It fell towards the ground, and the bird Pokemon snatched it in midair. It began running away again. "Get back here!" May snapped, diving for it and snatching it again. The Pokemon struggled to break free while May tried to get the flower again. She ripped it out of its beak with such force that it flew to the side and landed a short distance away. The two of them raced for it to try and snag it...only for a boot to stomp down on his, crushing it.

"NO!" May cried.

" _OO_!" the Pokemon wailed.

"What's the matter, twerpette?" a familiar voice sneered. "Lost your withering flower?"

May glared at her adversary angrily. "Team Rocket!"

"What?" came Hau's voice as he ran to the scene. "What's going on?!"

"Did someone ask something? We're here to find out!"  
"Noble answers are what we're all about!"  
"The beauty so radiant, the flowers and moon hide in shame,  
"A single flower of evil in this fleeting world,  
"Jessie!"  
"The nobly heroic man of our times,  
"The master of darkness fighting back against a tragic world,  
"It's James!"  
"It's all for one, and one for all,  
"A glittering, dark star that always shines bright,  
"Dig it! While Meowth takes flight!"  
"Team Rocket, let's fight!"  
"That's right!"  
" _Woooooobbuffet_!"

"Team Rocket?!" Hau exclaimed. "Aren't these guys –?!"

"A bunch of bad guys who want to steal other people's Pokemon?" May finished for him. "Yes! What do you three want?!"

"It's not rocket science, twerpette," Jessie sneered. "We're here for rare Pokemon."

"So hand over whatever you got, or we'll take it by force," James said likewise.

"I see a bird here dat's worth takin'!" Meowth grinned, eyeing the bird that May was chasing.

"What is this?" Hau wondered, looking at it.

Jessie scanned it with a device. "Oricorio, hm?" she sneered. "A perfect addition!" She threw a device into the air, and it unleashed a net that caught Oricorio.

"No!" May cried, running over to the captive Pokemon. She pulled on the net, but it wouldn't tear.

"Get off of that!" James snapped. "That's ours, now!"

"Not if I can help it!" Hau growled, angered at their actions. "Litten! Let's go!" He threw a Pokeball, releasing his starter Pokemon. "Litten! Use Ember on that Meowth!"

" _Mrowr_!" Litten growled, firing a small flame that struck Meowth. While he distracted them with a battle, May bent over Oricorio and pulled out her pocket knife.

"Hold still, Oricorio," she said. "I don't want you to get hurt." She put the knife into the net and cut it open, freeing the bird-like Pokemon.

" _Corio_?" it blinked.

"No! Litten!" Hau cried as Meowth knocked his Pokemon out.

"Ha!" Meowth sneered. "Now let's make off with Oricorio!" He turned...only to see the Pokemon free. "What?!"

"Bad news, Team Rocket," May sneered. The Oricorio came forward and rubbed its pom-poms together, creating electricity. Then it jumped into the air, spinning gracefully, before firing the electricity at Team Rocket, shocking them and causing an explosion.

What happens next need not be elaborated, so we'll leave it at that. _Ding_.

"Whew!" May said. "Nice work holding them off, Hau."

"Thanks," he said. "Now I should probably get Litten to the Pokemon Center." With that, he ran off.

May turned and looked at the flower she'd chased the Oricorio over. "Oh," she moaned when she saw its pitiable state. Jessie had crushed it, ruining its beauty, as several its petals had been torn off.

" _O_?" Oricorio said, looking at it.

"I'm sorry," May said, remorsefully turning to the Pokemon. "If I hadn't fought over this with you, it wouldn't have been destroyed."

" _O! O!_ " the bird chirped happily, coming forward and sipping the nectar out of the flower.

"Does that not bother you?"

The bird didn't listen. Instead, it hopped away. Then it started twirling around as it digested the nectar. When it stopped spinning, May gasped as she saw its changed form. No longer yellow with pom-poms, it was now red with black accents.

"What?" she breathed. "How did you –"

"Hey May!"

She looked up and saw Ash coming towards her, Pikachu on his shoulder. "Ash!" she exclaimed.

He stopped when he was next to her. "I heard from Hau that Team Rocket appeared. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," May said, "but...the flower you gave me…"

Ash looked at the ground and saw the flower was largely ruined. "Oh," he said softly.

" _Pika_ ," Pikachu said likewise. Ash bent over and picked up some of the petals, smiling softly as he did so.

"That was such a sweet gift you gave me," she said, "and to think it got ruined just like that."

He looked at her, a sad smile on his face. "Well, at least it wasn't all ruined," he said, bringing up the two petals. He placed them in her hair where the flower was. "This won't be quite the same, but it's good enough, right?"

She returned his soft smile. "Yeah," she nodded. "I guess so."

He smiled brightly and put his hand on her cheek. Pikachu, seeing what was about to happen, hopped down from his shoulder. "You know you don't need a flower in your hair to make you look beautiful, right?"

"Of course," she replied, blushing at his words and his hand on her cheek. "But...it helps."

"Yes," Ash nodded, coming closer to her. "Yes it does." With that, he brought her in for a short kiss before they tenderly embraced. The now-red Oricorio looked up at them curiously. "Come on," Ash said, pulling out of their embrace. "Our Pokemon are all healed up. You and Hau need to have your battle so we can take on the kahuna."

"But I only have one Pokemon," May said. "He has two. We want to have a two-on-two battle."

"You kidding me?" Ash chuckled. "You're a high-ranking coordinator. You could probably beat him in a one-on-two battle!" They laughed as they walked towards the Pokemon Center, with Pikachu following. As they walked, Oricorio caught up with Pikachu and began speaking to him, apparently asking him about something. Pikachu listened, then explained what Ash and May were talking about. When Oricorio heard this, she looked at May with admiration.

Oricorio had asked Pikachu what Ash meant when he said May was a coordinator. And she liked the answer.

* * *

 **This oughta be interesting.**


	26. Chapter 3-1: Day of the Glad Hand

**Like I said: I had to make some alterations to this chapter, especially in light of today's episode. Seems like Gladion made a solid debut!**

* * *

Chapter 3-1: Day of the Glad Hand

 _His eyes shot open as he heard the beeping of his alarm. Quietly, so as not to disturb anyone, he turned it off and quickly got dressed. Then he hauled his sack over his shoulder. As he exited the room, he turned back one more time to look at his sleeping sister's face, as well as the face of his only other friend in this place. They seemed so peaceful and innocent when they slept. He forced himself to look away, knowing that the longer he lingered there, the more guilty he would feel. He couldn't afford to feel like that. Not right now._

 _He walked down the hallway his room was in and made it way to a small elevator. He went down the elevator and came to the lab in the basement, where his target was. He entered the lab and found three frightening Pokemon cryogenically frozen. He clenched his fists in anger at their state._

" _You're here."_

 _He turned to his companion, relieved to see her. "Yes," he said. "Now quickly. Free these Pokemon."_

 _She turned and entered the password on the machine that sustained their captivity. After a few more taps on the machine, the machine began to hiss as one of the creatures' encasement melted. When the freed Pokemon blinked, it leapt up and growled loudly only for the woman to hastily catch it in an Ultra Ball. When it was secured, she handed it to the boy._

" _Now for the others," he said. But at that moment, someone banged on the locked door to the lab._

" _Who's in there?" a voice asked._

 _The boy growled angrily. "No!" he cursed. "How did they know?!"_

" _You have to go," she said. "I can't free the other two in time!"_

" _I'm not leaving them here to suffer!" he growled._

" _You don't have a choice!" she said. "Come back for them later, but you can't save them now." She went to the back of the room and pressed her hand against the wall. A hidden door opened, revealing a secret exit. "Go, quickly. This will lead you to the docks. You should be able to escape from there."_

 _The boy clenched his fists in anger, but he relented and walked to the doorway. "Please," he said quietly just before he left, "take care of my sister."_

" _I will."_

 _He nodded, and then vanished into the doorway, which she promptly shut before the main entrance to the room opened. "Madam?"_

 _She turned and saw her superior standing in the doorway. "Ah, Branch Chief! I hope I did not wake you."_

" _No," he said. "I merely awoke early to assess the Pokemon in our care. You do know that I'm always on duty for that the first day of the month?"_

" _Yes...yes, of course," she nodded. "I had quite forgotten that."_

 _The Branch Chief looked at the two frozen Pokemon. "Two? What happened to our third Beast Killer?"_

" _Stolen, it would seem," she replied. "I came in here looking for some research notes and found it gone. Shall we alert the president?"_

" _No need for that," he smirked. "I'm sure we'll find our thief soon enough. Type: Null is an uncontrollable monster. When whoever stole it inevitably figures that out, we'll be the first ones on the scene."_

 _But the Branch Chief was wrong. The boy who stole Type: Null was resilient in earning the strange Pokemon's respect. Though the man-made Beast Killer caused him many hardships and injuries, he didn't give up, as he believed this Pokemon could not only be tamed but also befriended. Though their relationship developed slowly, Type: Null did grow to trust its trainer, though it still struggled to control its monstrous nature._

 _Though the Pokemon slowly grew to be at ease with its trainer, however, the boy became increasingly restless. He knew they wanted him, and feared they would find him. If they did, what would he do? He couldn't go back; not now. There was no place for him there, not anymore. As his uneasiness grew, his sleep was plagued with nightmares. They all played out differently, but they all ended the same:_

 _With_ her _eyes staring down at him._

 _And then all goes black._

* * *

"AUGH!" Gladion screamed, sitting up abruptly on the couch he'd been sleeping on. He breathed rapid, shallow breaths as he recovered from his nightmare. Then he sighed in relief. "Those eyes," he shuddered, knowing that they were just as much _her_ eyes as they were _his_...only worse.

"Young man?"

He looked up and saw Nurse Joy looking at him in concern. "Are you all right?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied shakily, but he quickly recovered his composure. "Yes, I am. It was just a bad dream, nothing more."

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't be," he said quietly.

"Well, I have some news for you regarding that Rockruff you brought in," she said.

"Make it quick," he said, bracing himself for the worst.

"We _were_ able to save it."

"You were?" he exclaimed, standing up and coming up to her. "You saved it?"

"Yes. However, there is a small caveat."

"What's that?" he asked. At that moment, the door to the center opened.

"You sure you don't want a one-on-one match?" Ash asked May.

"Yes," she nodded. "I need to find another Pokemon, but where?" Pikachu trotted in, followed by a low-flying Oricorio.

Gladion turned a moment to see them enter, then turned back to Nurse Joy. "What do I need to know?" he asked.

"We were able to save Rockruff, but its immune system has been heavily weakened by the poison."

"Immune system?" he repeated. "You mean..."

"Is everything all right?" May asked.

Gladion turned sharply and glared at her. "Stay out of this," he said. She shrugged and backed away, while he turned back to Nurse Joy. "Is it possible to send Rockruff back to its natural habitat?"

"In its current condition, no," Nurse Joy shook her head. "It must be monitored daily. Otherwise it may die without proper care."

Gladion clenched his fists and ground his teeth. "I'm guessing you can't keep it here forever." He turned towards Ash and May. "After all, these two will probably need to have their Pokemon cared for in another hour." As soon as he said that, another trainer burst in, carrying an unconscious Litten.

"Nurse Joy!" Hau cried, running up and shoving an unamused Gladion to the side. "Can you take care of Litten, please?!"

"Make that three."

"You're quite right," Nurse Joy nodded to him. "Someone will have to take Rockruff as their Pokemon."

"Hmph," Gladion grumbled, turning away. "How annoying."

Ash didn't hesitate at that. "If doesn't want it, I'll take care of Rockruff."

"Are you sure, Ash?" May asked him. "It sounds like Rockruff's a little frail. Maybe someone with more experience should take care of it."

"Too bad Brock isn't here," Ash agreed.

"No," Gladion said abruptly, turning back. "I'll take Rockruff."

"Huh?" Ash and May blinked.

"Rockruff was injured protecting me. It's only fair that I return the favor and protect it. Bring it out."

"All right, then," Nurse Joy nodded, turning and walking into the back room. A second later, she brought Rockruff out. "Here you go: all happy!" she said cheerily, setting the puppy Pokemon on the counter.

"As much as possible, you mean," Gladion mumbled.

Nurse Joy nodded, then turned to Hau. "Now let me get your Pokemon all taken care of."

With that, she took Litten and walked back into the room, leaving Gladion with Rockruff. He looked down at the Pokemon, who looked up at him with a curious expression. "Nurse Joy says you can't go back home," he explained. "Your immune system is too weak, and you need someone to keep an eye on you." He slowly bent down so he could look Rockruff in the eye. "I know I'm not the nicest trainer ever, but I will take care of you if you come with me. Who knows? Maybe one day, you'll be able to go back home." Rockruff looked at him curiously, then sadly looked down and shook its head. Gladion blinked and frowned. "What's the matter? Don't you have a home?" Rockruff shook its head again. "You mean you were just wandering around with no place to go?" Rockruff looked up at him with sad eyes. It looked like it was about to cry.

Gladion's eyes visibly softened when he saw then. He put his hand on Rockruff's head and softly scratched behind its ears. "So you were all alone when I found you," he said softly. "You were thrown into a big, unforgiving world, hungry and scared. You went around searching for comfort and care...and all you got in return was contempt."

Rockruff's eyes widened in amazement. It looked at him as though to ask, _How did you know?_ Gladion, as though reading its mind, continued softly. "That's exactly who I was two years ago. All alone in the world with nothing but a partner who didn't care for me. I wish I could say things have improved since then, but in the long run they really haven't. But I have a mission that I need to accomplish. Whenever things get to be too much, I remember that mission, and it gives me the strength to weather the hard times." He took his hand off of Rockruff's head and stood up to full height, holding out his hand to the puppy Pokemon. "If we're going to be alone in the world, we might as well be alone together. What do you say?"

Rockruff looked up at Gladion, then smiled and barked happily, jumping into his arms and licking his face. "Ack!" he cried in annoyance. "Okay okay, I get it! Gah!" At this, he heard laughter behind him. He turned and glared, having completely forgotten that Ash, May and Hau were still there. "Hmph," he rolled his eyes. "How annoying." He turned to Rockruff. "I don't mind the affection, but could you at least keep the slobber to a minimum?"

" _Ruff! Ruff_!" Rockruff agreed.

Gladion nodded with a small smile, then frowned slightly. "Now if only I had a Pokeball for you."

"Oh!" Hau exclaimed, pulling one out of his pocket. "Here! My grandpa just gave me a few for catching Pokemon with!"

"Hm?" Gladion said, taking the ball. "Your grandfather?"

"Yeah! He's the kahuna of Melemele Island!"

"Is that so?" Gladion said, looking at the ball. "Hmph. Well, you have my gratitude." He turned to Rockruff. "Here," he said. "This is for you." Rockruff responded by pushing the ball's button with its nose. The ball opened up and sucked Rockruff in, then blinked, indicating that it was captured. Gladion looked at the ball and smiled. "Welcome to the team, Rockruff." Then with that, he put the ball on his belt and turned away, his face resuming its usual frown. "I think my work here is done," he said simply, walking out.

"See you around, Gladion!" Ash called cheerily. He didn't get a response as the young man disappeared.

"Wow," May said. "That guy has a lot more heart than I gave him credit for."

"I'll say," Ash agreed. "I wonder what he meant by all that stuff he said to Rockruff."

" _Pikachu_."

"Sounds like he comes from a troubled past," May mused.

" _Corio_!" Oricorio agreed, jumping on May's shoulder.

"Ah!" she exclaimed, startled. "Oh, it's you!" she said, showing no animosity. "What are you doing here? Did you follow us from where Team Rocket attacked us at?" Oricorio nodded its head, chirping.

"Ha!" Ash chuckled. "This little guy must really want its flower back!"

" _Pika_!" Pikachu chuckled with him.

Oricorio jumped into Ash's backpack and dug around in it. "Hey!" he laughed. "What are you doing in there?" At that, Oricorio jumped back out and dropped a Pokeball on the ground. It then rolled it towards May.

"Huh?" May blinked. "Wait...you want me to catch you? But –"

Before she could protest, Oricorio pushed the button on the ball and captured itself. The ball blinked, indicating it was captured.

"Um…" she blinked, utterly confused.

"Wow," Ash blinked as well. "That was the weirdest capture I've ever seen."

" _Pika_ …"


	27. Chapter 3-2: Not So Humerus

Chapter 3-2: Not So Humerus

Over by the arena for battles in Iki Town, Hala stood patiently with Lillie and Kukui. "I say, what could be keeping them?" the kahuna wondered.

"They're probably resting their Pokemon, yeah," Kukui said.

As they spoke, Lillie stood there quietly, contemplating the recent events that had taken place. Of particular note to her was that boy who recently pushed his way into Iki Town, somewhat rudely. At first she chalked his behavior up to a poor upbringing. But a very brief moment before he went into the Pokemon Center, she managed to get a glimpse of his eyes.

They were bright green, just like hers.

 _Can it really be him?_ she wondered. _After all this time? But...what would he be doing here? And why would he behave so rudely to everyone?_

"Kahuna!"

Lillie shook away her thoughts as May and Hau approached the battlefield. "We're ready for battle," May said.

"All right!" Kukui grinned. "What are we waiting for? Let's set ourselves up!"

"This'll be a one-on-one match –" Hau started to say.

"Actually," May interrupted him, "I can do a two-on-two match now."

"Huh?" everyone blinked in surprise. "You caught another Pokemon?" Hau asked.

"Well…" May trailed off as she pulled out Oricorio's Pokeball, gazing at it, "I guess so. It's kind of a long story."

"Ho ho ho!" Hala chuckled. "Then let's make this more interesting, shall we? This shall be a two-on-two battle! My grandson, Hau, vs. May Maple!"

With that, the two trainers stood on the two ends of the Alolan battlefield, ready for battle. Lillie decided to wait back at the Pokemon Center with Nebby, as she didn't want to see Pokemon get hurt, so Hala and Kukui were left to watch the battle. Shortly before the battle was set to begin, Ash arrived to cheer on his girlfriend.

"All right!" May said. "Oricorio, take the stage!" She threw her Pokeball and released her new Pokemon. Oricorio twirled through the air and landed gracefully, ending with a bow.

" _Say, that'zzz an Oricorio_!" Rotom Dex exclaimed. " _Where'd ya pick that lil' guy up, zrrt_?"

"I'll explain later," May mumbled.

"Okay!" Hau grinned. "Pichu, let's do this!" He tossed his own Pokeball and released Pikachu's pre-evolved baby form.

"Let the battle begin!" Hala called.

"All right, Oricorio!" May called. "Use Peck!"

Oricorio flew forward, beak glowing, and rammed into Pichu. Pichu fell back from the impact but stood up. "Don't let it get to you, Pichu!" Hau called. "Use Thundershock! We'll make this a contest of types!"

As Pichu unleashed a small blast of electricity on Oricorio, Ash put his chin in his hand, curious. "A contest of types," he mused. "That's not going to be enough."

"No, it's not."

Ash turned in surprise to see a familiar face standing beside him. "Gladion?" he blinked.

"What?" Gladion glared at him.

"What are you doing here?" Ash asked.

"I was curious to see this battle," he said as he watched May order Oricorio to use Pound. Its wings glowed and rammed into Pichu, but the little Pokemon took the hit and readied itself for another attack.

"Thundershock again!" Hau called. "Oricorio can't take much more!"

Gladion blinked as Pichu attacked. "Is he blind or something? Oricorio may be taking quite a bit of damage, but Pichu's an absolutely weakling in battle. Does he really think type advantage is all he needs to defeat Oricorio?"

"It's certainly not everything," Ash agreed, "but it does help."

"Oricorio, fly in the air to dodge the attack!" May commanded. In response, Oricorio glared back at her and ran underneath the attack to peck Pichu again. "What?! Oricorio, what are you doing?!" May cried.

"Come on, Pichu!" Hau called. "One more Thundershock!" Pichu obeyed and slammed Oricorio at point-blank range. When the dust cleared, Oricorio was knocked out.

"Oricorio is unable to battle," Hala declared. "Pichu wins. Trainers, recall your Pokemon and send out another for the second round!"

"Oricorio, return," May said, recalling her new Pokemon. "We'll talk about what just happened later," she said to it as she put its ball away. Then she threw out her other ball. "Popplio, take the stage!"

"Litten, let's do this!" Hau called. The two trainers released their Alolan Pokemon. On seeing her former opponent, Popplio grinned and waved cheerily. Litten, however, bared its claws and hissed, determined to defeat its opponent this time.

"Come on, May, you got this!" Ash cheered.

"All right, Popplio!" May called. "Use Water Gun!"

" _Iooooo_!" Popplio cheered, spraying a jet of water out of her nose. It struck Litten head-on, causing the kitten heavy damage. It glared back up at Popplio, baring its fangs, which began to flare.

"Whoa!" Ash exclaimed. "Isn't that Fire Fang?"

"It looks like it," Gladion mused.

"Litten!" Hau called. "Use Fire Fang!" Litten ran forward, bared teeth flaming, and, after grabbing Popplio in its mouth, tossed her into the air. It then leapt up to bite her...only for Popplio to twirl in midair, avoiding it. With that, Popplio landed gracefully on her tail while Litten crashed into the ground.

"Popplio!" May called, "Flip through the air and finish it off with Water Gun!" In response, Popplio leapt into the air, somersaulting once, and fired a jet of water out of her nose which rammed into Litten once again. When Litten was visible again, it was clearly knocked out.

"Litten is unable to battle," Hala said. "Popplio wins. Thus, since the results are one win on each side, this battle is a draw!"

"Aw man!" Hau moaned as they recalled their Pokemon. "I still couldn't win, even with my strongest! I may as well have lost in that case."

"Hmph," Gladion grumbled audibly. "What, was Pichu too weak, even though it won? The kahuna said it was a draw; therefore, it's a draw."

"Oh well," Hau said, seemingly ignoring him and smiling cheerily. "At least it was fun!"

Gladion glared at Hau, clearly annoyed. "Are you even taking this seriously?" he asked.

"Of course I am!" Hau grinned at him. "I'm seriously enjoying it!"

" _Enjoying_ it?!" Gladion repeated. "You can enjoy Pokémon battling when you put everything you have into it...which clearly you aren't."

"Huh?" Hau blinked, turning to him. "What do you mean?"

Gladion just facepalmed. "It's like I'm talking to a kindergartener. Where did you even go to school?!"

"Okay, that's enough of that," Ash said, stepping between them. He turned to Hau. "That was a good battle," he said. "You battled May to a draw, which is pretty impressive!"

"I agree," May nodded.

"Hoo-ee!" Hau chuckled. "Thanks guys! Well, we should probably rest our Pokemon. Last one to the center's a rotten Exeggcute! Say, how do you even spell that?" he wondered as he trotted off, with May following him.

"Hmph," Gladion mumbled. "How annoying."

Ash turned to him in annoyance. "Was that really necessary?"

"Yes," Gladion replied.

"Give him some credit," Ash said. "He was able to take out one of May's Pokemon."

"The only reason he did that was because her Pokemon disobeyed her," Gladion pointed out.

"Yeah," Ash nodded. "That's kinda weird, but he still took it out. That's an accomplishment in my book."

"Then we have different books we live by," Gladion said. Ash raised an eyebrow at that while his companion put his hand on his forehead. "What I saw in that battle – if you could even call it that – was not skill, but luck. That brat battles like it's some kind of joke."

"Maybe he just likes to have fun while battling," Ash suggested, shrugging. "I've met people who take battling seriously and people who do it for fun, as well as people in the middle of the two. Is anything wrong with having fun?"

"Yes," he said. "You don't grow when all you do is have fun. You just waste your life away."

Ash sighed and shook his head, turning away. "Seems to me like we're gonna be spending a lot of time not seeing eye to eye," he said. "I like having fun while battling, but when the going gets serious, I don't hold back." With that, he walked away. Gladion started to walk away as well, but Ash called back to him, "Let's battle after I beat the kahuna, okay?"

At that Gladion stopped a moment. He smirked slightly. "Deal." With that, he walked away into the woods while Ash went back to the Pokemon Center.

* * *

 **I'm a little behind on this story, so there may not be an update this Thursday. Plus this week is going to be hectic in my house, much to my chagrin. I'll do the best I can.**


	28. Chapter 3-3: Powering Up for Battle

Chapter 3-3: Powering Up for Battle

Ash arrived in the Pokemon Center shortly after his conversation with Gladion. It was late in the afternoon now, almost evening, and the sun was just starting to set. He sat down with May, and they ordered a meal.

"Where's Hau?" Ash asked.

"He's in his room," May replied.

"Waiting for his Pokemon to be healed?"

"You know it," May said. A strand of hair got in her face, so she blew it out, flipping her hair in the process. "What kept you?"

"Guess," he smirked.

"The Glad Hand?"

"Bingo."

She sighed. "I don't get him. He acts like such a jerk to everyone he meets. But the way he cared for that poor Rockruff...oh, I don't know what to make of it all!"

"Me neither," Ash shook his head. "At first I thought he was just like Paul: mean to everyone else and only caring for a Pokemon's strength. But he's nowhere near as nasty as Paul was, and he seems to genuinely care about his Pokemon. Heck, he took that Rockruff in when someone needed to, but I could tell he didn't want to."

"I'll say," May agreed. The two of them sighed. "So," she said, "you ready for your battle with the kahuna?"

"I think so," he nodded. "Rowlet and Pikachu are golden for this battle!"

"That's great," May smiled. She blinked. "Speaking of which, where is Pikachu?"

"Oh! Were you looking for him?"

They turned and saw Lillie standing beside them, Pikachu in her arms. "I didn't realize you were back," she said. "Here's Pikachu."

"Ah, thanks Lillie," Ash smiled as Pikachu crawled into his lap. "I trust you took good care of him."

"I did my best," she replied. She turned to May. "How did your battle with Hau go?"

"Fine," May replied. "We battled to a draw."

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Seems he's gotten stronger."

"He probably has," May agreed. "Plus, Oricorio completely disobeyed me in the end."

"What?" Lillie said. "Oh dear, that's –"

"Ahem!" They turned and saw Nurse Joy standing beside them. "Pardon me, but your food is here." She placed two trays of food on the table for Ash and May.

"Oh, goody!" May cheered. "Thank you, Nurse Joy." Nurse Joy bowed and walked away. Ash and May began eating.

"That's a lot of food," Lillie said.

"Are you hungry?" Ash asked, munching on his burger. "We'll share some of our fries if you want."

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu agreed, munching some of the fries with a dash of ketchup.

"Here," May said, handing some fries to Lillie. She took them in her hand curiously, and slowly bit into one. As she swallowed, she smiled slightly.

"Not bad," she said. "What did you say these were again?"

"Kalosian fries," Ash replied. "They're a common side dish for a burger."

"It's quite yummy," she said, munching on another one. "Could I have another?"

"Of course!" May smiled, handing her some more. "Help yourself!" Lillie smiled and ate a few more, enjoying them and savoring their taste. As she was about to take another, she gasped.

"My hand!"

"Huh?"

"Something wet is on my hand!" she said. "What is it?"

"Oh, that's just grease," Ash chuckled. "Fries get deep-fried when cooked, so they're covered in grease."

"Oh, goodness!" Lillie exclaimed. "That's disgusting! Excuse me!" She ran off in a panic, leaving Ash and May bewildered.

"There she goes again," May mumbled. "Who seriously _hasn't_ grown up with burgers and fries?"

"I guess she hasn't," Ash shrugged, taking another bite out of his burger. As he chewed, he heard someone shriek in the bathroom, followed by the sound of water running wildly. As he swallowed, he saw a very annoyed and completely soaked trainer walk out of the Pokemon Center. Shortly after they left, Lillie walked back in, rubbing her hands together.

"Whew!" she said. "Got it all off."

"Sheesh, overreaction much?" May rolled her eyes. "It's just grease. A lot of foods have it."

"Oh," she moaned in response. "And those fries taste so good, too."

"Want some more?" Ash asked, offering her some.

"Ah, no thanks," Lillie replied. "I've had my fill."

"Suit yourself," Ash shrugged, finishing his burger. He then stood up, and Pikachu hopped on his shoulder. He turned to him with an eager smile. "Ready to take on the kahuna, Pikachu?"

" _Pikachu_!" Pikachu nodded eagerly.

"Great! Let's get ready for battle!" he said, walking out of the center. As he left, he turned back and called to May, "Meet us over there, okay?"

"Okay!" she called back. With that, Ash set off.

"It's nice to have family you can look up to," Lillie said softly.

"Family?" May blinked. "Um...we're not married."

"No," Lillie shook her head, "but the way you two talk to each other, it's obvious you're really close."

In response, May just smiled softly.

* * *

Ash walked up to the battlefield. There, he found Hala, Kukui, and Hau waiting for him. "I suppose you are here to battle the kahuna?" Hala grinned. "You think you and Pikachu are ready for me, Ash?"

"You better believe it," Ash grinned.

"Very well!" Hala chuckled. "Then let us prepare for battle! We will each use two Pokemon. When one of us has lost all our Pokemon, the last trainer standing shall be declared the victor!"

"Perfect!" Ash grinned.

" _Pika_!"

The two of them stood on opposite ends of Iki Town's battlefield while Kukui stood between them in the middle. Ash put his backpack to the side, with Rowlet still sleeping. Hala raised an eyebrow. "Your Rowlet doesn't seem ripe for battle."

"Don't worry about him," Ash grinned. "He'll come through when I need him to."

Hala smirked at this. "Very well, then." He turned to Kukui. "Professor, would you please lay down the rules of this battle?"

"Yes," he nodded. "This will be a two-on-two battle. When one trainer has lost both of their Pokemon, they have lost, and the other trainer will be declared the winner."

"All right," Ash grinned. "Pikachu, I choose you!"

" _Pika_!" Pikachu said in response, jumping in front of his trainer in a battle-ready stance.

"Makuhita, let us begin!" Hala called in response, throwing a Pokeball and releasing a familiar fighting type Pokemon. Immediately after, May arrived with Lillie to cheer Ash on. Unseen by anyone, Gladion leaned against a tree to watch the battle.

"Let the Grand Trial begin!" Kukui cried.

"Okay, Pikachu!" Ash called. "Start this off with Quick Attack!" Pikachu ran forward towards Makuhita, zig-zagging about as he did so. Makuhita didn't move until Pikachu was almost right on top of it.

"Makuhita, Fake Out!" Hala said abruptly. Makuhita clapped its hands together, startling Pikachu and knocking him back. "Now, use Sand-Attack while you have an opening!" he commanded again. Makuhita kicked some sand into Pikachu's face, blinding him.

"Uh-oh," Lillie said softly. "If Pikachu can't see, then how can he fight back?"

"Don't worry," May smirked. "This is nothing."

"Pikachu!" Ash called, "Use Quick Attack, but veer left a little!" In response, Pikachu began zig-zagging about to the left just like before with seemingly no trouble. He rammed into Makuhita, but Makuhita immediately countered by thrusting its arm forward, knocking Pikachu back once again.

Lillie's eyes were wide. "How did he do that?!" Likewise, Gladion raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Quick Attack again!" Ash said as the sand blew off of Pikachu's face. The electric Pokemon ran forward.

"Makuhita! Arm Thrust again!" Hala called. When Pikachu came close, Makuhita thrust its arm forward again, knocking Pikachu into the air.

"I knew it!" Ash grinned. "Pikachu, use Iron Tail when you hit the ground to push yourself into the air. Then finish Makuhita off with Thunderbolt!" Pikachu did this and soared through the air, unleashing his signature move and bathing Makuhita in a powerful blast of thunder. An explosion ensued, blinding everyone. When the dust cleared, Makuhita was weary, but it was still standing.

"What?" May blinked. "How did it take that hit? I thought Makuhita would've fainted from that!"

Ash seemed to share her confusion, while Hala simply smiled. "Pikachu, finish this off with one more Quick Attack!" Ash called. Pikachu obeyed and ran forward.

"Makuhita, hit him with Force Palm!" Hala commanded. When Pikachu rammed into Makuhita, it brought its hands together and unleashed a blast of energy that knocked the two of them back towards their trainers. That was the last Makuhita could take, and it promptly fainted in front of Hala.

"Makuhita is unable to battle," Kukui declared, raising Ash's flag. "Pikachu wins!"

"Nice work, Pikachu," Ash grinned.

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu nodded weakly. Although he was still standing, it was clear that he couldn't take much more.

"Makuhita, return," Hala said, recalling his Pokemon. "You fought well out there." He looked up at Ash. "Your experience as a trainer is unrivaled, young man. I imagine you have fought a Pokemon like Makuhita before, hm?"

"Sure have," Ash nodded.

Hala chuckled. "Very well, then. Let us see if you can face down something different! Crabrawler, let us finish this!" He threw an Ultra Ball and released a strange, crab-like Pokemon.

" _Crrrr_ ," the Pokemon growled, leering at its opponents.

"Whoa," Ash said. "What is that?"

Rotom Dex flew in front of him and scanned the Pokemon's information: " _Crabrawler: the Boxing Pokemon. Crabrawler is always aiming to be number 1. It will guard its weak spots with its claws in battle and throw punches, looking for an opening._ "

"Oh boy," May mused. "Looks like Ash has his hands full on this one."

Unseen by anyone, Gladion rolled his eyes. "Aiming to be number 1?" he mumbled. "Hmph. Guess this is going down in history."

"Crabrawler, use Power-Up Punch!" Hala called with excitement. Before Ash could tell Pikachu to dodge, the boxing Pokemon slammed him into the air with its glowing pincer fist. Poor Pikachu splatted onto the ground face-first. Everyone waited a moment, but he didn't get up.

"Pikachu is unable to battle," Kukui said, raising Hala's flag. "Crabrawler wins."

"Ouch!" Ash exclaimed, coming up to his little friend and scooping him into his arms. "You okay, buddy?"

" _Pi...ka…_ " Pikachu said weakly.

"Here you go, buddy," he said, laying him by Rowlet. "You did great out there." At that, Rowlet snapped awake and looked at Ash, who grinned at him. "Ready to battle, Rowlet?"

" _Row row!_ " Rowlet chirped eagerly, and it flew to the battlefield.

"All right!" May cheered. "With Rowlet, Ash should have no trouble winning this battle!" Lillie, however, didn't look so sure. Gladion had a similar look on his face.

"Rowlet, open this up with Tackle!" Ash called. Rowlet did so and rammed into Crabrawler. Crabrawler, however, was barely fazed. "What?"

"Seems Crabrawler's more resilient than I thought," Lillie mused.

"Crabrawler! Power-Up Punch!" Crabrawler obeyed, uppercutting Rowlet and sending him into the sky. When Rowlet landed, he struggled to stand.

"Oh man," Ash said softly. "That did a lot of damage." He blinked as something occurred to him. "Wait...Pikachu didn't suffer that much damage!"

May's eyes widened. "Does the attack get more powerful the more times it's used?"

"Sort of," Lillie explained to them. "Power-Up Punch will raise a Pokemon's attack power. Since Crabrawler's used it twice, it's much stronger now than it was at the start of the battle."

"Then that means Rowlet won't be able to take much more damage," Ash mused, fists clenched as he thought hard. "Shoot," he said to himself. "This just got a little harder." He looked at Crabrawler and Rowlet. "Crabrawler doesn't look like it's the fastest Pokemon around. Maybe if I make this a contest of speed, I can get the upper hand." He smirked. "Okay, Rowlet!" he called. "Fly quickly around Crabrawler!"

Rowlet flew into the air and began rapidly circling Crabrawler, so the crab-like Pokemon struggled to keep up. "Hm?" Hala mused. "What is he doing?"

"Rowlet, use Leafage!" Ash called. Rowlet fired green orbs at Crabrawler as it continued flying. The orbs sapped the Pokemon's strength.

"Oho!" Hala smirked. "I see where this is going. Crabrawler! Use Power-Up Punch!" Crabrawler tried to obey, but Rowlet easily evaded it.

"Leafage again!" Ash called. Rowlet attacked Crabrawler again, sapping its strength even more. This continued for a few more rounds. Eventually, Crabrawler began to look tired. _Perfect!_ Ash thought. _Now I just need to play my cards right and –_

"Crabrawler!" Hala abruptly called. "Use Brutal Swing!"

"What?!" May and Lillie cried at the same time.

"Uh-oh," Gladion muttered.

Crabrawler raised its glowing fist and swung it all around it. Rowlet had no time to react and got violently thrown off its course, tumbling down in front of Ash. Rowlet struggled to get to its feet.

"Come on, Rowlet!" Ash said. "We can still win!" At this, Rowlet pushed itself up and stood on its feet. "Yeah, that's the spirit!"

"Ho ho!" Hala chuckled. "Still in this to win, are we? I like your spunk, Ash!"

"Rowlet, use Peck!" Ash called.

"Crabrawler, Leer!" Hala said.

Crabrawler stood over Rowlet with a menacing gaze. At this, Rowlet shrunk back in fear.

"Rowlet!" Ash cried. "Come on! Don't be afraid!" Rowlet, however, didn't seem to hear him.

"Time to finish this!" Hala cried. "Power-Up Punch!" Crabrawler wound its fist back as it glowed intensely.

"ROWLET!" Ash screamed as Crabrawler swung, slamming Rowlet into the air. It promptly landed on its back its eyes turned to swirls.

"Rowlet is unable to battle," Kukui said. "Crabrawler wins. The winner of the battle is Kahuna Hala!"

"Oh no," May said softly.

"He lost," Lillie said, echoing her thoughts.

"Ho ho!" the kahuna laughed heartily. "Well done, Crabrawler," he said, recalling his Pokemon. "You did a fine job, so you deserve a fine rest."

Ash, meanwhile, cradled Rowlet in his arms. "Rowlet," he said softly, "are you okay?"

" _Let_ ," Rowlet said weakly.

Ash sighed, disappointed. "Man," he said, looking up at the kahuna. "Your Pokemon are tough."

"Not just anyone is chosen to be a kahuna, you know," Hala said with a smile. He looked at the unconscious Rowlet in Ash's arms. "You may want to take your Pokemon to the Pokemon Center."

"Yeah," he nodded.

"And Ash?"

He looked up. "Yeah?"

"I advise you to develop a stronger bond with Rowlet."

Ash blinked. "Huh?"

"It's clear to me that Rowlet isn't an experienced battler. But that isn't why Crabrawler defeated him so easily. It seems Rowlet doesn't have complete faith in you as a trainer yet."

"What makes you say that?" Ash asked.

"A Pokemon who has complete faith in their trainer will be able to put aside their fears when their trainer needs them to. Yet when Crabrawler leered at Rowlet, he made no response to you. If Rowlet is to become strong, he must be able to trust you completely." Ash listened intently to the kahuna's words, then frowned slightly. "You understand, do you not?"

"Yes," Ash said slowly. "I understand. Thank you, Kahuna. I'll take my Pokemon, now."

"Very well, then," the kahuna smiled softly. "I expect you to return for a rematch soon. Preferably next Wednesday."

"Why Wednesday?" Ash blinked.

"No reason," Hala chuckled. Ash chuckled with him, then started for the center.

"Hey," May said, coming up to him along with Lillie.

"Hey," he said, giving a sad smile.

"Sorry you lost."

"It's all right," he said. "We'll win next time."

"Oh," Lillie moaned when she saw Rowlet. "Look at the poor thing! Why did I watch that battle in the first place?"

As they continued down, they didn't notice a dark figure still watching them. "What a disappointment," Gladion growled. "I expected more out of you, Ash. A Kalos League finalist should have no trouble taking down someone as weak as the kahuna." He put his hand on his forehead. "Ugh! Guess I'll have to set you straight."


	29. Chapter 3-4: Toughing It Out

**Sorry for skipping an update on Monday. Like I said: last week was way too hectic for my liking, and by Monday I was wiped to the point where I couldn't finish this in time. But hey, it's here now, right?**

* * *

Chapter 3-4: Toughing It Out

Back at the Pokemon Center, Ash and May sat waiting for his Pokemon. Lillie, meanwhile, sat on her own chair, eating a carefully cut apple. May was relaxing while Ash was deep in thought. It was early in the night now, so the Pokemon Center was relatively quiet. But the quietness didn't last long, as something suddenly jumped out of Lillie's bag.

" _Pew_!"

"Nebby!" she groaned. "Come on. Please, not now!" While she was speaking, the little Pokemon floated away into the center, completely innocent. "Oh!" she moaned, getting up and following it.

May couldn't help but chuckle. "Like a mother to her child," she said. She stood up and started to follow Lillie, but she turned back to Ash. "I'm gonna go help her, okay?"

"Sure," Ash said, breaking his train of thought to smile at her. She winked at him and walked away while he went back to thinking.

 _Develop a stronger bond with Rowlet_ he thought. _What did the kahuna mean by that? We haven't trained together much, and that's usually where a Pokemon's bond with its trainer becomes stronger. Should we do that more? Maybe then I can figure out –_

His thoughts were interrupted by the door to the center opening. A familiar, obscured face entered with a scowl directed straight at Ash. "Gladion," Ash said, putting on a smile and standing up. "I –"

"Shut up," Gladion said abruptly, taking Ash aback.

"Excuse me?"

"How did you lose to the kahuna?"

Ash blinked, then rolled his eyes with a chuckle. "His Pokemon are tough," he said. "Crabrawler's strong. Don't worry. Rowlet, Pikachu and I are going to train harder for our rematch. Then we're going to win, and then you and I can have our battle!"

"Shut up!" Gladion said again, this time more annoyed than before. Ash was even more taken aback. "You have no excuse to lose to that old man, do you hear me?!"

"What?" Ash said in surprise. "What are you –"  
"You really think he's tough? You think that's why you lost? Well, you're wrong."

Ash blinked, then narrowed his eyes. "Are you saying my Pokemon are weak?"

"No," Gladion replied. "Well...okay, maybe Rowlet's a little weak. But that's only because he's still inexperienced."

"The kahuna said we needed to strengthen our bond. Apparently –"

"Forget what the old man says," Gladion interrupted him. "He doesn't know anything."

"Will you stop calling him that?!"

"No."

By this point, Ash was annoyed. "He's the kahuna of Melemele Island, Gladion. He deserves our respect!"

"I don't care about his title," Gladion replied while putting a hand on his forehead, unfazed. "It's not like it means anything. He might put up a good act, but I'm not fooled. He's nothing but a weak old man, and his grandson is just like him!"

Ash clenched his teeth angrily. "What makes you think you can talk about people like that?! I don't know what it means to be a kahuna, but I'm pretty sure it's a big responsibility, and Hala does his best. It's clear that he loves both his Pokemon, and his grandson. It's a big burden, one I doubt _you've_ ever had to carry! Where do you get the right to call people like him weak?!"

Gladion glared at the enraged Ash, completely unfazed, before turning away and walking back towards the door. Before he left, he turned his head back towards Ash a moment to say something.

"Meet me in the woods," he said. "I'll help you train out there." With that, he walked off.

Ash blinked in confusion, still angered by his comments, but his anger began to simmer away. "He wants to help me train?" he said. "But –"

"Ash?"

He turned and saw May coming towards him, confused. "What happened out here?" she asked. "I heard you shouting at someone."

"It was Gladion," Ash replied. "He said some insulting things about the kahuna, and it made me mad."

"Is that all?"

"No. After that, he offered to help me train."

May blinked in surprise. "He did?"

"Yeah. I know, right?" Ash shrugged. They sat down on the couch, with May leaning on his shoulder.

"What a strange guy."

"Yeah," he agreed. At that moment, Nurse Joy came out. Ash and May looked up eagerly. "Are my Pokemon ready?" Ash asked.

"Yes," she replied as Rowlet and Pikachu came forward. Rowlet looked remorseful for losing its battle. Seeing this, Ash simply smiled and patted Rowlet on the head.

"You don't have to feel bad, Rowlet," he said. "Hala's Pokemon are tough. If you want to beat a tough Pokemon, you just need to toughen up yourself." He turned towards the door and started out, Pikachu and Rowlet following. "Gladion offered to help us train out in the woods, so that's where we're headed."

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu grinned, hopping onto his trainer's shoulder. Rowlet hopped up as well and settled into Ash's backpack; May followed shortly behind them. They made their way across town to the small forest nearby. When they entered the forest, they could hear a familiar voice giving commands to a Pokemon.

"Try again. Rock Throw!"

They recognized the voice and followed it. May grumbled a little as the branches from the tall trees brushed her face, but Ash wasn't fazed. Eventually, they came to a small clearing. Gladion stood there with his Rockruff and Null, with the former relentlessly attacking the latter. Of course, due to Rockruff's condition, it did little damage to Null, who barely even flinched.

"Ugh," Gladion groaned when he watched Rockruff pant from exhaustion. "This is going to be harder than I thought." He knelt down to examine its condition. "I know that beast's poison made you weak, but you can't let that get to you. You want to be strong, don't you?" Rockruff nodded. "Well the best way to show your strength is to tough it out during the times when you feel weak." At this, Rockruff looked down and shook its head sadly, whimpering a little. Gladion patted it on the head. "I know it's not easy, and it may even feel impossible at times. And that's why I'm here: to back you up. I've had to tough it out for two years on my own, so I know what you're going through. But I don't want you to have it as badly as I have. You don't have to go alone. Do you understand?" Rockruff looked back up at him, a smile gracing its face, and nodded. Gladion returned a small smile. "That's better. Now, try again: Rock Throw!" With that, Rockruff generated several rocks in the air and hurled them at Null once again.

"Seems like he's working hard training his Pokemon," May mused.

" _Zrrt. Ya think?_ "

"Eek!" May exclaimed when Rotom Dex popped out from behind her. "Where did you come from?"

" _I wazz asleep in your pack for the last few hourz. Did ya miss me, zrrt?_ "

The commotion caught Gladion's attention, and he turned to face the two of them. "Decided to show up, huh?" he said.

"Yes," Ash nodded.

His rival nodded and turned back towards his Pokemon. "Fine. Good work, Rockruff. Rest yourself." He recalled his Pokemon, leaving Null out.

"Huh?" Ash blinked. "I thought you wanted Rockruff to get stronger."

"I do," Gladion replied curtly.

"Well if we're going to train, why not have Rockruff –?" May asked.

"That's none of your business," Gladion snapped. May frowned at him, angered, before huffing and turning away.

"Are you ready, Rowlet?" Ash said, turning to the sleeping Pokemon in his backpack. It immediately snapped awake and flew forward, ready for battle.

Gladion looked surprised at this. "How exactly can a Pokemon sleep so much yet snap awake like that?"

"How should I know?" Ash shrugged jokingly. "I haven't been living in Alola for the past 20 years!" Pikachu and May just sweatdropped.

"Hm," Gladion said to himself. "Rowlet must have a pretty strong bond with Ash if it can snap awake like that. I guess the kahuna's Pokemon really are tough." He clenched his fist, gritting his teeth. "Null, come on. Let's get to work." Null looked at its trainer and nodded, standing in front of him in a battle ready stance.

"Are you ready to start?" Ash asked.

"Ready and able," Gladion nodded. "You can start."

"All right," Ash smiled. "Rowlet, use Tackle!"

" _Let_!" Rowlet said, flying forward and ramming into Null's head. For a moment it sat there, neither Pokemon moving. Then it flew backwards and spun around, dizzy from the impact, and promptly fell face-first on the ground.

"Owch!" May exclaimed. "That looked like it hurt!"

"Rowlet's going to need to be stronger if it wants to hurt Null that way," Gladion explained. "This helmet's practically unbreakable." There was a bit of distaste in his voice as he said this. "Until it's stronger, find another way to attack Null."

Ash nodded, looking Null over. "That helmet looks artificial," he noted. "Did you put that on him?"

"No."

"Okay," Ash mused. "Rowlet, use Tackle again, but this time hit Null from the side." Rowlet nodded, hopped back up and flew forward, ramming into Null's side. The Pokemon briefly lost its footing and stepped to the side, quickly regaining its balance.

"The kahuna's Crabrawler will try and cover up its weak points with its pincer fists," Gladion explained. "If you want to beat it, you'll have to outmaneuver it."

"That's what I was thinking about after that match," Ash agreed.

"Good," Gladion said. "Now, attack Null again."

"Wait, what about you?" May asked.

Gladion glared at her in annoyance. "If I wanted to have a real battle, I'd clobber Rowlet faster than you can say 'kamo.' That would be unfair, and I _don't_ play unfair."

May shrugged at this, still annoyed with him. "What a gentleman," she grumbled audibly so he could hear. He ignored her.

"Rowlet, try using Leafage on that helmet," Ash said. Rowlet did so, but little damage was done. Rowlet then tried using Leafage on Null's body, which got a better result, as Null shuddered.

"That's more like it," Gladion said. "Now let's up the ante. Rockruff, can you help?"

" _Hm_?" Rockruff blinked.

"When I say so, I want you to use a light Rock Throw to block off Null's weak points. Can you manage that?"

" _Ruff_!" Rockruff barked cheerily.

"Good," he said, promptly turning back to Ash. "Now hit us with your best shot."

"Okay," Ash grinned. "Rowlet, use Peck!" Rowlet flew forward, beak glowing, aiming for Null's side again.

"Now, Rockruff!" Gladion called. In response, several rocks materialized around Null, surrounding it in a shield of sorts. Rowlet rammed into one of these and promptly fell back, grimacing.

"That looked like it hurt Rowlet more than it did Null," May muttered.

"Break through," Gladion said. "You need to outmaneuver us if you want to hurt us."

"Hm," Ash mused. "You okay, Rowlet?"

" _Row, row_!" Rowlet turned back towards him with a smile.

"Okay," Ash grinned. He looked at Null and thought a moment. "Now let me see…"

"Whenever you're ready, Ash," Gladion said.

After a moment, Ash grinned. "I got an idea. Rowlet, use Peck the same way again!" Rowlet nodded and flew towards Null's side again, beak glowing.

"Rockruff, again!" Gladion said. In response, rocks materialized around Null in a shield.

"Rowlet, swerve up!" Ash called immediately before they collided. Rowlet did so, a little clumsily but successfully, and hovered above Null. "Now dive down on it with Peck!" Rowlet did so and slammed into Null's backside. The attack clearly took its toll on the strange Pokemon, as it groaned loudly in pain.

Gladion nodded in approval as Rowlet landed on the ground. "That's a good strategy," he said. "Crabrawler should have a harder time countering that...if you can execute it right."

"What do you mean?" Ash asked.

"Your strategy may be good, but you'll have to execute it flawlessly if you want it to work," Gladion explained. "A moment's hesitation, and the kahuna will see what you're planning and be able to stop it."

"That's why we're practicing, right?" Ash smirked.

"Right," Gladion mumbled. "Now let's work on Rowlet's defense. Power-Up Punch was its undoing before, so it needs to be able to endure it if it wants a shot at winning."

"Then let's figure something out," Ash said.

"Null, use Tackle," Gladion commanded.

"Rowlet, dodge!" Ash said suddenly. Rowlet, however, didn't move as Null ran to execute the attack. As such, the small Pokemon got knocked away, tumbling across the ground.

"Why did you command it to dodge?" Gladion snapped. "We're working on defense! If you can't take an attack, you're going to lose!"

"I won't put my Pokemon in harm's way on purpose," Ash replied. "Rowlet can take a hit."

"Hmph," Gladion grumbled. "I guess you don't know your Pokemon as well as you think you do. Rowlet was easily defeated in your battle. Do I need to remind you about that?"

"Maybe he was," May snapped, intervening, "but he put up a good fight. I doubt you and your freakazoid Pokemon could do better!"

Gladion glared at her with that fierce rage they knew him for. Null also glared at her, rumbling in a low guttural growl. "Watch it, you," he growled. "A comment like that will get you in a lot of trouble someday." He turned back to Null. "Use Tackle on Rowlet again."

"Get ready, Rowlet," Ash said. Rowlet stood up to face its opponent again. But this time, Null glared down at Rowlet, a fierce anger in its eyes, causing the little Pokemon to freeze up once again. Its body began to glow a bright red, giving it a frightening glare.

"What?!" Gladion exclaimed. "Wait, no! I said Tackle, not Rage!" Null, however, didn't listen and tossed Rowlet into the air, ready to smack it again.

"Rowlet, get outta there!" Ash called. Rowlet recovered from the impact from Null, only to gaze once again into its terrifying eyes. It froze in fear again. "Rowlet, come on!"

Null proceeded to slam into Rowlet with its armored head, sending the Pokemon flying way higher than anyone intended. From the arc it flew in, it was clear that it was somewhere else in the forest.

"Rowlet!" Ash cried. "Rowlet, where are you?!"

" _Pika pika_!"

"Oh no!" May exclaimed.

"Null!" Gladion snapped at his Pokemon. Null turned towards him, having regained its senses, and bowed in apology. "Ugh," he softened a bit, still a little annoyed. "You need to control yourself. This was just supposed to be training. We don't use Rage unless we're trying to win a battle!" Null rumbled softly in response, while Gladion knelt in front of it, putting them at eye level, and rubbed it under the chin. "Don't worry," he said. "I know you're trying. We both are."

"Trying?!" May snapped. "You just knocked Ash's Pokemon clear outta town, and your excuse is that you're trying?!"

"I have nothing to say to you," Gladion growled at her.

"Well I have a lot of things to say to you!" she shouted.

"May, stop it!" Ash said, standing between them. He turned to his rival.

"Sorry about Rowlet," Gladion said.

"I'm sure he's fine," Ash replied. "Just consider our training off for now. We're gonna go find him." He turned to his other Pokemon. "Come on, Pikachu. See if you can catch his scent."

" _Pika_!" Pikachu nodded. They ran into the forest, with May not far behind. Gladion watched them go, then turned to his Pokemon.

"We'll call it here," he said, recalling them. "It's been a long day. You deserve a rest." He put the Pokeballs in his small pack before turning to look back at the path Ash was following. "We _all_ deserve a rest." With that, he turned and walked away.


	30. Chapter 3-5: Piking Your Friends

**Normally, this would be the part where I apologize for not updating on Monday like I usually do. But I've been doing that a lot lately, and I hate repetitiveness. So instead, I'd like to take a moment to thank everyone for making this my first story to break 100 favs!**

 **This is probably the longest chapter I've written yet. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 3-5: Piking Your Friends

 _The sun shines brightly as he looks around him. There isn't a cloud in the sky. Numerous Pokemon frolic about, safe from harm. There are people dressed in odd white outfits watching over them, talking about keeping them safe from abuse._

 _He hears a familiar chirping sound. Turning, he finds his first Alolan Pokemon looking up at him._

" _Rowlet?" he says. The Pokemon chirps in response, hopping on his shoulder. He laughs as it jumps around him. Their laughter, however, is quickly drowned out by a mysterious and sinister humming as a shadow falls over them. They look up, while the people in white look up as well. When it becomes clear to them what's happening, they immediately evacuate all the Pokemon below deck. He, however, stays put, staring at the mysterious hole in the sky._

Brr-rrr-rrr.

 _He shivers in fear. "What was that?" he wonders, terrified._

 _His question is answered as a strange, frightening creature emerges from the hole. It stares down at him, or so it seems, as he backs away. It floats towards him, reaching to him._

 _Rowlet jumps between them, chirping in fear while trying to scare the beast off. The beast hovers over the Pokemon, making more strange noises. The little Pokemon promptly freezes in fear._

 _Before its trainer knows what's happening, the vision begins to fade. His senses blur into madness: sound and sight are indistinguishable from one another. Nothing makes sense anymore. As everything melds together, he manages to desperately cry out to Rowlet to save him. But his cries are for naught, as Rowlet remains frozen by fear. The environment swallows him, and he finds himself spiraling into a nothingness he hoped never to see again. He opens his mouth to scream, but no sound comes out. He tries to reach for something, someone, anything to save him from this madness. Yet even though he can see his arm, he feels nothing. His nerves are dead. The vision continues to blur until he can no longer see. His ears sink into his head, and he can no longer hear._

 _His whole being melts into itself, leaving nothing behind._

* * *

"GAHHHHHHHHH!"

Ash shot up, breathing rapid shallow breaths with eyes wide as dinner plates. May, who was sleeping right next to him, screamed in shock when he shot up, as did Pikachu and Rotom Dex.

"Ash!" she cried, putting her right hand on his forehead and her left hand on his chest in order to calm him. For a moment, he didn't respond and continued breathing rapidly. "Ash, are you okay?! What happened?!"

At this, Ash began to regain his senses. He blinked as his breathing slowed to a normal pace. He put his hand on his forehead over May's hand and turned to see Pikachu looking up at him in concern. Finally, he sighed in relief and relaxed, closing his eyes.

"It was just a dream," he said softly.

"Nightmare?" May asked.

"Yeah," he whispered. He opened his eyes again and turned his head to her. "Sorry if I woke you guys."

"It's all right," she smiled softly. She yawned and rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes. "It would've been nice if you hadn't, though. Especially after how late we were up last night looking for Rowlet."

"Rowlet," Ash whispered his Pokemon's name as he remembered why they'd slept against a tree trunk in the first place. They'd searched the forest for a good hour before their exhaustion overtook them. They decided to rest for a few minutes before resuming their search, but judging by the light falling on them through the trees above, it was obvious that they ended up getting more than they bargained for. "I hope he's okay."

"What?" May blinked. "Didn't you say last night that you were sure he'd be fine?"

"Uh...yeah," Ash said half-heartedly. "Yeah, I did." The things he experienced in his dream were still haunting him.

"Well, come on," May said, standing up and offering her hand to him. "Let's finish what we started, shall we?"

He looked up slowly, then smiled and nodded. He took her hand and stood up, but his body was still stiff. He quickly lost his balance and tumbled forward. May caught him in her arms and helped him up.

"Ash!" she exclaimed as she did so. "You're sweaty!"

"I am?" Ash blinked, still waking up. "Must be the Alolan heat."

"No, it's not just that!" May said. She leaned forward and smelled his shirt. "Your whole body's covered in sweat!"

At this, Ash realized just how right May was. His undershirt clung to his torso, and his hair almost felt like it had been in a pool an hour ago, only without the refreshing feeling that comes from a pool. "Wow," he mumbled.

"You must've had a really bad nightmare if you're sweating this much," May said.

"You have no idea," Ash said, now fully awake. Pikachu hopped onto his shoulder and patted his head to comfort him. He smiled at his best friend. "Thanks, buddy."

" _Pikachu_."

"Why don't we go find Rowlet?" she said. "The sooner we find him, the sooner we can get back to the condo, wash up and have some breakfast."

Ash smiled at her. "I like that idea." With that, the search continued. As they walked, May's stomach rumbled.

"Well, we'll probably have to eat something to keep our strength up," she said sheepishly.

"That's not a problem," Ash grinned in reply, walking over to a small bush and sifting through it, as Pikachu sniffed. "Hm...any berries in here?"

May joined the search in another bush. "Nothing here," she said, pulling out a large red berry. "Just a tomato berry."

"Eugh," Ash groaned. "I don't wanna put up with one of those again." He walked over and sifted his hand through another bush. "Hm...ooh, hey! I think I found so–GAHHHH!"

"What the–?!" May exclaimed as Ash yanked his hand out of the bush. A little Pokemon was latched onto his finger with its sharp pincers. "Uh oh. Looks like someone got pinched!" she chuckled.

"What a supportive girlfriend I have," Ash grumbled. "It's not like I'm in agony, right?"

"Come on, Popplio," May giggled, chucking her ball and releasing her Pokemon. "Use Water Gun to get rid of this pest."

" _Io_!" Popplio nodded, firing a jet of water out of her nose and knocking the Pokemon off of Ash's hand. Annoyed, Ash shook his hand off.

"That's gonna leave a mark," he mumbled.

" _Pikachu_."

"What was that Pokemon anyway?"

Rotom Dex, in response, floated up beside the Pokemon and scanned it. " _Grubbin, the Larva Pokémon. A Bug-type. Grubbin scrapes trees with its large jaws and drinks their sap. It makes its home underground._ " Grubbing responded by snagging Rotom Dex's arm-like appendage with its pincers. " _GAH! MY CIRCUITZZ ARE TINGLING! MAYDAY, ZRRT, MAYDAY, ZRRT!_ "

"Pikachu, Iron Tail!" Ash commanded. Pikachu jumped up and swatted Grubbin away, and it promptly dug its way back into the ground. Rotom Dex promptly flew back to May's side.

"You okay, Rotom?" May asked with a smile.

" _I juzzt got attacked by a Grubbin that wanted to eat me. Do you really think I'm okay, zrrt?_ "

Ash and May just laughed, as did Pikachu and Popplio. Then Pikachu caught a scent and lifted his nose towards it. He jumped off of Ash's shoulder and followed it. "Hey, Pikachu!" Ash called. "Where are you going?"  
" _Pika_!" Pikachu exclaimed, looking through a bush. He then turned back to Ash and beckoned him to come over. " _Pika, pikapi_!"

"Did you find Rowlet?" Ash asked, running up to him. May followed shortly after. When they saw what Pikachu was looking at, their eyes went wide in joy. A large pile of berries of many different kinds sat next to a tree.

"Look at those berries!" May said gleefully, almost tearfully. "They're so beautiful!"

"Like a sign from heaven that our hunger has been answered," Ash agreed in the same way. "Dig in!" With that, they ran forward and began stuffing their faces with the berries.

"These are delicious!" May said after swallowing a bite.

"They taste so fresh!" Ash agreed.

" _Pika pikachu_!"

" _Io! Popplio_!"

As Ash swallowed another berry, a thought crossed his mind. "But if these are so fresh, they must've been picked recently." He picked up another berry, suddenly concerned. "I wonder if –"

"Oh, don't worry about it," May grinned as she ate another berry. "There are plenty of berries in Alola to go around."

Ash shrugged at this and was about to eat another berry when a shadow fell over him. "Huh?" he said and looked up. His eyes widened in fright when he saw several pairs of angry eyes staring down at him. "Uh-oh. Uh...May...I think we should go."

"Hold on," May said, obliviously eating another berry, "I'm not finished yet."

"May...look up."

"Hm?" she said, her mouth full. But when she looked up, she promptly swallowed everything and gulped audibly.

" _CAWWWWWWWWW_!"

"Run," Ash said. "RUN!" They took off with their Pokemon in hand, running as fast as they could. The flock of bird-like Pokemon followed in fast pursuit. They chased the two of them over the whole forest. Ash and May couldn't run forever, however, and they eventually found themselves cornered. They looked up and saw the whole flock surrounding them.

"Whatever these Pokemon are, I hope they're reasonable," Ash whispered.

In response, Rotom Dex flew up next to the flock's leader and scanned it. It was a large bird. " _Toucannon, the Cannon Pokémon, and the evolved form of Trumbeak. Its beak heats up to over two hundred degrees, and its peck can inflict a serious burn._ "

"Thanks for the pep talk, Dexter!" Ash shouted in exasperation. "Now get behind me before these guys kill you!"

"Please, hear us out!" May said to the Toucannon, who stared at them menacingly as it landed in front of them. "We didn't mean to steal your berries! We were hungry, and we saw the pile just laying there next to a tree. We didn't know it was yours, and we're really sorry."

Toucannon cocked its head to the side, listening, then rolled its eyes as though to say it didn't believe her. " _Cannon_!" it said to the flock.

"Wait, what?" Ash said. "What did he just say? What does 'cannon' mean?!" The flock began closing in. "No, come on, we didn't mean anything, we swear!"

"Oh, this is bad," May shivered. "I don't think our Pokemon can help us out against an entire flock!"

"Pikachu could probably take them all down easily," Ash said, "but if he did, then that wouldn't help our cause, would it?"

" _Cannonnnnnnn_ ," Toucannon growled as all the birds' beaks began glowing.

"Pikachu, get behind me!" Ash said.

"You too, Popplio!" May said. This intrigued Toucannon, but it didn't do anything to stop the flock. It opened its beak, ready to give the battle cry.

" _ROWLET_!"

Toucannon's beak promptly snapped shut, and it whipped its head around to see a familiar Pokemon flying towards them. "Rowlet!" Ash cried when it flew up. "You're okay!"

Rowlet stood in front of Ash and began vehemently chirping at Toucannon. Toucannon glared at Rowlet, clearly annoyed, and began cawing at it in response. The two got into a heated exchange, leaving Ash and May confused.

"What are they saying?" she wondered.

"I don't know," Ash said. "But the way Toucannon's talking, it seems like it knows Rowlet." As if to confirm Ash's suspicion, one of the birds broke formation and nuzzled happily against Rowlet. Rowlet returned the nuzzle. Some of the other Pokemon followed suit, and Rowlet quickly found itself swarmed by its friends in the flock.

"They suddenly seem really friendly," May mused.

"Hm…" Ash mused, beginning to see what was going on here. What he saw began to make him feel sad. "Excuse me, Toucannon?"

" _Hrm?_ " Toucannon said, glaring at Ash. Ash knelt down and spoke to it at eye level.

"First of all, sorry about the berries," he said. "We really didn't mean to steal your stock." Toucannon stared at him a moment, as though reading his mind to see if he really meant what he was saying. Eventually, it softened its expression, turned to the flock and told them to break formation. As May sighed in relief, Ash continued to speak with Toucannon, with Pikachu coming up beside him. "I'm guessing Rowlet's a friend of yours?" he said. Toucannon nodded, raising its wing and calling for Rowlet. Seeing this, Rowlet bounded over and cuddled up next to Toucannon. The big bird nudged Rowlet off, as though telling it to behave, which Rowlet did. "I see," Ash went on, his smile disappearing. "I suppose I owe you an apology, then."

" _Hrm_?" Toucannon blinked, tilting its head to the side again in confusion.

"I found Rowlet shortly after I first came to Alola," he explained. "He enjoyed stealing my hat and getting me to follow, and I figured out eventually that he wanted to come with me, so I took him in as my own Pokemon. I didn't realize he had so many friends out here. I'm sorry."

Toucannon stared at Ash, surprised at his words. Before it could reply, however, a sudden electric surge zapped every Pokemon in the area. " _Cawwwww_!" Toucannon cried in pain.

"Augh!" May cried, as she and Ash were also affected.

"What's going on here?!" Ash cried.

"Did someone ask something? We're here to find out!"

"Noble answers are what we're all about!"

"The beauty so radiant, the flowers and moon hide in shame,

"A single flower of evil in this fleeting world,

"Jessie!"

"The nobly heroic man of our times,

"The master of darkness fighting back against a tragic world,

"It's James!"

"It's all for one, and one for all,

"A glittering, dark star that always shines bright,

"Dig it! While Meowth takes flight!"

"Team Rocket, let's fight!"

"That's right!"

" _Woooooobbuffet_!"

Ash and May knew those voices all too well. "Team Rocket!" they cried.

"What are you doing here?!" Ash shouted.

"When the stomachs of evil demand compensation, it's our job to bust them out of their depression!" Meowth sneered. "These Pikipek are hoarding a ton of food! We simply demand they share it with the rest of the ecosystem!"

"Well you're doing a fine job of convincing them to share!" May snapped back.

"Lousy twerpette," Jessie growled. "Who gave you permission to speak up?" She threw a tiny box-like device at her. A net promptly erupted from the device and ensnared her, while a muzzle emerged and covered her mouth.

"May!" Ash cried as she fell to the ground.

"Mmph!" she cried.

"It's almost too easy!" James laughed, as did the other two.

"Fools these mortals be!" Jessie sneered.

"That's it!" Ash shouted angrily. "You're not getting away with this! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

" _Piiiikaaaaa...CHUUUUUUU!_ " Pikachu screamed, unleashing his signature move.

"Wobbuffet, use Mirror Coat!" Jessie called.

" _Waaaaaa_!" Wobbuffet cried, jumping in the way of the attack and reflecting it with a barrier. The attack came hurtling back towards Pikachu, but Rowlet jumped in the way of the attack to block it. The poor little Pokemon took the full force of the attack.

"NO!" Ash screamed.

" _PIKA_!" Pikachu also screamed. When the dust cleared, Rowlet was laying on the ground, badly injured. Ash and Pikachu looked on in horror, then turned to Team Rocket, their faces showing their rage.

"That does it," Ash snarled, crossing his arms in front of him. His Z-Ring sparkled as energy flowed through. He lowered his arms, then extended them in front of himself, one over the other. Then he lowered his arms to the side, stretched them out in a diagonal line, and pounded his body with one after the other, on his chest and forehead respectively. Energy promptly flew from him and into Pikachu, who began glowing.

"Now, Pikachu," Ash shouted, "BLITZ 'EM!" With that Pikachu, glowing with its energy, ran forward at full speed towards Wobbuffet.

"Wobbuffet, Counter!" Jessie commanded. Wobbuffet, however, had no time to react to Jessie's command and was promptly knocked back into its trainer by the furious Pikachu. The force from the impact caused the trio to tumble away, grunting in pain as they did so.

"What in the world was that twerpish move?!" James cried when they stopped.

"Looks like the twerps have been learning some new tricks!" Meowth growled.

"I don't see how this day could get any worse," James groaned. As soon as he said that, he felt something clamp onto his foot, causing him pain. This didn't surprise him.

The trio had bigger problems, however, as the flock of Pikipek glared at them, led by Toucannon. They assembled into their formation and leered down at them. "Uh-oh," they said.

" _CANNONNNNNNN!_ " Toucannon roared, and the Pikipek flew forward and rammed into Team Rocket with their glowing beaks. An explosion ensued, followed by Team Rocket soaring through the sky.

"Great, just great!" Jessie grumbled. "Now not only are we hungry, but we just got beaten again!"

"Looks like we're not the only ones who're hungry," Meowth said, observing the Pokemon latched onto James' leg.

"Oh, now I just feel sick," James moaned.

"WE'RE BLASTING OFF AGAIN!"

 _Ding_.

With Team Rocket gone, the Pikipek broke out of formation and turned back to Ash, who was busy untying May. Toucannon came forward to speak to him, and Ash knelt down so they were at eye-level. Toucannon bowed its head in gratitude. " _Cannon. Toucannon_."

"You're welcome," Ash replied.

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu nodded.

Ash stood up. "Well, I guess it's time for us to go," he said.

" _Let! Rowlet!_ " Rowlet agreed.

The Pikipek flew back towards their tree where the pile of berries was. "Bye Pikipek!" May called. "We'll bring you some berries some time, okay?"

" _Cannon_ ," Toucannon laughed, as it turned around and started walking after the flock. Rowlet stayed in place and watched Toucannon walk away.

"Bye, Toucannon!" Ash called. Toucannon raised a wing in acknowledgement. Then Ash looked down at Rowlet. "So long, Rowlet."

"Wait, what?" May said.

" _Huh?_ " Rotom Dex exclaimed.

"Take care of your friends, okay?" Ash said, patting it on the head. With that, he turned and started walking away. May walked quickly to catch up with him while Rowlet watched with sadness.

" _Let_ ," it sniffed. Toucannon, sensing its sadness, stopped in its tracks and turned around to see Rowlet standing there wistfully. A small smile graced its beak, and it walked up to Rowlet and nudged it slightly with its beak. Rowlet snapped out of its stupor at this and looked back at Toucannon in confusion. Toucannon simply smiled in approval. Rowlet chirped in excitement and took off into the air, while Toucannon chuckled softly and turned back to tend to its own flock.

* * *

"Why did you leave Rowlet behind?" May asked as they walked down the path.

"It's like I told Toucannon," Ash explained. "I didn't know Rowlet had so many friends out here in the forest when I invited him to join us. If I had known, I would've let him be." He sighed wistfully as he listened to the sound of his feet crunching leaves. "Sure does stink, though. I'm gonna miss that little guy."

"Me too," May sighed.

A thought suddenly occurred to him. "Then again, maybe it's for the best."

"For the best?" May stopped in her tracks to look at him. He stopped as well.

"Remember what the kahuna said after I lost to him?" he explained. "About how Rowlet didn't have complete faith in me?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Well, maybe this is why. Rowlet had a case of conflicting loyalties, so he couldn't give it his all in battle." With that, he continued walking along, with May following him.

"So what are you going to do now?" she asked.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "I suppose I'll just rechallenge the kahuna with Pikachu."

" _Pika_ ," Pikachu sighed.

"If you want, you can always borrow Popplio," May offered, stopping Ash again.

Ash smiled at her and put his arm around her. "Thanks, May. I don't know what I'd do without you." She giggled and they started to draw together for a kiss. But before they connected, something whizzed over their heads. "Ack! What – my hat!?"

"Again?" May exclaimed. "Ugh, way to ruin the moment!"

Ash looked up and saw a familiar Pokemon holding his hat. "Rowlet?"

" _Let! Rowlet_!" Rowlet chirped happily, coming down and handing Ash back his hat. He put it back on in surprise.

"Rowlet? But...I thought you were...your friends...I...wha–?"

Rowlet cut him off when it hopped on his shoulder and rubbed into his face. At this, Ash's face went from confused to childishly giddy.

"Looks like Rowlet's decided to stick around," May smiled at the sight.

" _Zrrrt! That'zz better! I like a story with a happy ending!_ "

Ash pulled Rowlet off his shoulder and smiled at it. "So you're sticking with us, Rowlet?"

" _Koo_!" Rowlet nodded.

Ash grinned happily and opened his backpack. He pulled out a Pokeball and showed it to Rowlet. "Here's your Pokeball. Wanna hop in so we can seal the occasion?" Rowlet responded by tapping the ball's center with its beak, promptly catching itself.

"Consider the occasion sealed!" May grinned. Ash chuckled.

"All right!" he cheered, holding up the Pokeball triumphantly. "I caught Rowlet! For reals this time!"

" _Pi Pikachu_!" Pikachu cheered.

May smiled, happy for Ash, but then something made her nose twitch. She sniffed twice, then grimaced. "Peeeeeeyewwwwwww!"

"What?" Ash blinked.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" she said.

Ash blinked, then sniffed his armpit. "Oh, right," he nodded. "Guess we better get back to the condo to wash up and eat, huh?"

"Yeah," May said, suddenly clutching her stomach. "All those berries didn't even fill us up. Heck, if anything, they just make me sick."

"Well, come on!" Ash grinned, not affected since he didn't eat as many berries. "Let's get back so we can enjoy ourselves!" With that, he took off with May following sluggishly behind him.

* * *

 **Now for a small update on this story's progress and what to expect in the future. I won't be updating this upcoming Monday, as I'm going to be out of town for a friend's wedding. I may or may not update next Thursday depending on what's happening during E3 at the time. I'm inclined to think that I _will_ update since Nintendo's Spotlight event is on Tuesday, which is probably where most of their earth-shattering announcements are going to appear. No guarantees, though.**

 **That being said, I'm kinda glad I didn't update on Monday. If I had, I wouldn't be able to express my excitement for Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon! I'm not sure what these new games will be about, but they'll probably affect this story in one way or another. Only time will tell, though.**

 **Once again, thanks for making this my first story to break 100 favs!**


	31. Chapter 3-6: Hungry Hau Strikes!

Chapter 3-6: Hungry Hau Strikes!

Delia was at the kitchen sink washing the dishes from breakfast. She polished the plate she was holding until it reflected her face. Satisfied, she put it in the dishwasher to dry.

"You certainly seem happy for a woman whose son is constantly out," Samson Oak, who was sitting at the table, said.

"Am I?" she said absentmindedly.

"Yes," Professor Oak's cousin went on, wiping his face with a napkin. "Many women I know can barely even sleep at night when their sons leave them to go on a journey."

"Well, I was like that too once," Delia said wistfully.

"Oh?"

"Yes. When Ash first left on his journey, I often laid awake in bed at night, restless. I worried about him so much; I was afraid he would forget about me."

Samson frowned to himself. "It's a real shame, you know. So many children just leave home on a journey and practically forget about it. They don't call, they don't write, they don't visit...such a pity."

"Yes," Delia nodded sadly. "I was so afraid Ash would be like that, too. But he's very good about keeping in touch. And whenever he finishes a journey, he always stops by for a visit."

"Is that so?" Samson said, raising an eyebrow. Delia nodded. "Good. I'm glad there's at least one trainer who remembers where home is."

"Yes," Delia nodded as she came and took Samson's dish. "There are so many trainers out there these days who leave home and just seem to forget about their families. Ash's father was like that, too."

"His father?" Samson blinked, intrigued.

"Mhmm. We met when we were young, fell in love and married. Shortly after Ash was born, however, he left to continue his journey." She sighed somberly. "I've neither seen nor heard from him since."

Samson looked sadly at her. "Oh my…"

"Ash often talked about following in his father's footsteps. That's why I was so worried that he would forget about me." She smiled softly to herself.

"Well, you can't hold him down forever," Samson reminded her. "He's legally an adult now, and if that girlfriend of his is any indication, I'm pretty sure they're gonna get married soon."

"Oh, yes!" Delia said, becoming more dreamy. "Oh, that will be such a beautiful day. I can see it now: my little boy all grown up in a tuxedo, standing there in the church…"

"Uh...Mom?"

"He'll have the biggest smile on his face as his bride walks down the aisle with her father, arm in arm…"

"Mom?"

"She'll be dressed in a beautiful white gown, and they will kneel before the priest –"

"Mom!"

"Ah!" Delia exclaimed. Ash was standing there, looking confused. "Ash! You're back!" She hugged him tightly, and he returned the favor, while Pikachu affectionately nuzzled her. "Oh, my baby boy; my precious baby boy!"

"Uh-oh," Ash said, completely deadpan as he glanced at Samson. "Were you two having a sappy discussion about life?"

"Yep," Samson nodded.

Delia suddenly wrinkled her nose. "Oh, goodness!" she exclaimed as she pulled out of their embrace. "Ash! You're filthy!"

"It was a looooong night," Ash said.

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu agreed.

"Did you forget to change your underwear?" she said, putting her hands on her hips and frowning.

"No, of course not," Ash said. "I just had a really bad dream, and I must've been sweating through the whole thing. I came back here to wash up and let Rowlet and Pikachu rest for a bit."

"Oh my," Delia said. "That's certainly something."

"I'll say. Anyway, I'm gonna go shower. I'll be back out in a few, okay?"

"Okay," Delia nodded. With that, her son went into the back room to get cleaned up.

"I wonder what sort of a bad dream could make him sweat so badly," Samson wondered.

"Probably a nightmare," Delia agreed. At that moment, the door opened. May walked in with a groan, looking sick to her stomach. "May?"

"Ugh," May moaned, coming in and slouching down in a chair.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?"

"Yeah, I think so," May mumbled. "I just had too many berries to eat."

"I see. Would you like me to help you to your room?"

"Sure," May smiled weakly. Delia helped her up and gently guided her to her room.

"Well then," Samson said to himself, "it seems everyone's left me here alone."

" _Not everyone, zrrt_!"

"ACK!"

* * *

Surprisingly, Ash didn't take long to get out of the shower. Once he was done, he came into his room, his wet towel over his bare shoulders. He hung it up to dry and put on a new black t-shirt.

" _Pika_?"

He turned to Pikachu, who was sitting on their bed, with a smile. "How ya doing, buddy?"

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu grinned, giving him a thumbs-up.

"Glad to hear it," he grinned, sitting next to him. As he stroked his best friend's fur, he looked out the window. The sun streamed in, gently illuminating the room. "Once we're all rested up, we'll get back to training for our rematch with the kahuna."

" _Pika pika_!" Pikachu agreed excitedly. As Ash put on his jacket, the two of them noticed a gently abrupt change in lighting from outside.

"Huh?"

" _Pi_?"

Curiosity took hold, and the duo went outside to investigate. "Hm," Ash mused. "No clouds in the sky, that's no surprise. So what –?"

" _Pika_!"

Ash followed Pikachu's gaze, then his eyes widened. There appeared to be a small crack in the sky!

"What is that?" he wondered as the energy radiating from the crack caused the light of the sun to dim briefly before shining brightly again. He squinted at the strange phenomenon for a moment more before a familiar voice broke him out of his stupor.

"Hey, Ash!"

"Huh?!" he exclaimed, whirling around to meet his companion. "Oh, Hau!"

" _Pika_!" Pikachu grinned.

The boy grinned brightly at him. "What're you doing, staring at the sky?"

"You could say that," Ash nodded, looking a little more serious. "I was staring at –" he turned to point at the crack in the sky, but when he looked, it was gone. "What? Where did it go?"

"Whoops!" Hau chuckled, putting his arms behind his head. "I guess you're hallucinating a little, huh Ash?"

"No, I know I saw something," Ash said to himself. "What was that?"

" _Pika_ …"

"Oh well," he shrugged. Then an idea struck him as he turned back to Hau. "Hey, wanna eat over for breakfast?"

"Huh?" Hau exclaimed. "Me?! Eating a meal with Ash Ketchum?!"

"Hau, seriously," Ash mumbled with a deadpan expression. "I was just inviting you over to breakfast."

"I'D LOVE TO!" Hau nearly screamed, shocking Ash and Pikachu. Hau immediately covered his mouth with his hands. "Oh, jeez, sorry," he said quickly, putting his hands out while Ash and Pikachu relaxed. "I didn't mean to shout! I tend to do that when I'm excited."

"It's all right," Ash smiled. "Let's just go inside. Judging from the smell inside, Mom's probably cooking up a storm right now!"

" _Pika_!" Pikachu agreed. With that, Ash led their friend inside their condo.

Delia looked up from the eggs she was scrambling. "Oh, Ash!" she said. "Who is this?"

"Mom, this is Hau," Ash said. "He's our new friend."

"Hi, Mrs. Ketchum!" Hau grinned, coming up and enthusiastically shaking her hand.

"Hello!" Delia smiled. "I believe I'd heard of you before, but I hadn't been properly introduced. It's nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you, too!"

Ash smiled as the two of them got acquainted, but it left his face, replaced with confusion. He looked around as though looking for someone, then turned back to his mother. "Hey Mom?"

"Yes, honey?"

"Where's May?"

"Oh, she's in her room. She had to lie down after eating so many berries. I must say, I worry about you two's appetites sometimes!"

"Okay," Ash said. "I'll just go check on her. Will breakfast be ready soon?"

"Yes."

"All right." With that, he walked into May's room. It was surprisingly dark, as the shades were shut. There was some peaceful music playing from some sort of player. "Hm?" he mused, walking in. "She's not napping, is she?" He walked over and opened the shades. May was sprawled out a bit on her bed, completely out. Ash smiled slightly at the sight. "She always looks cute when she's sleeping," he smiled to himself, "even now when she's not curled up like she usually is." With that, he leaned down towards her, closed his eyes, and placed his lips on hers. In reaction to this feeling, May's eyes snapped open, with the rest of her senses snapping awake as well. After a brief moment, Ash moved away from her face with a cheeky smile. "Good morning, my princess."

May quickly regained her bearings and smiled mistily at him. "Good morning, my prince." With that, she reached out to him. He, in turn, took her in his arms and lifted her up onto her feet. "You know, I wouldn't have minded if you twirled me around just now. Would've helped me wake up."

"Ah!" Ash chuckled. "That's a good idea. I'll keep it in mind." They chuckled at that. "Breakfast'll be ready soon, and Hau's gonna join us. Why don't you turn off your music so we can go out there?"  
May blinked in confusion. "I didn't turn on any music."

"You didn't?" Ash said, mirroring her confusion.

She looked around, puzzled. "Where's that music coming from?"

"Huh," Ash mused. "Ah, just leave it. It's not like it's a Jigglypuff, right?" The two chuckled at that, then went to the main room of the condo.

" _A Jigglypuff, eh? Sayyyy, that'zzz not a bad idea, zrrt!_ "

* * *

"Eat up everyone!" Delia said as she put a stack of waffles on the table. "I'll have more for you in just a minute."

"Oh boy!" Ash grinned as he grabbed two waffles, poured some syrup on it and began digging in. May did the same thing. "Don't worry, Hau," he joked as he chewed on a large bite of waffle. "We'll try to save some for you."

"No worries!" Hau grinned innocently. "I already had something to eat before I got here, so I'll be fine!"

"Okay," Ash shrugged. Despite his assertion, Hau proceeded to grab _three_ waffles from the stack and began inhaling them, much to Ash and May's shock. The two of them finished their plates shortly before Hau, but in the time it took them to get two more each, Hau finished his stack and promptly grabbed another three. They continued to wolf down the food, and Hau, despite having more to eat than them, managed to keep up.

"Agh!" Ash cried in a panic. "This guy's trying to outdo our appetites!"

"We can't let this happen!" May agreed.

"FOUR WAFFLES, PLEASE!" the couple shouted. Delia rushed over and brought them each four. They began devouring them while Hau got two more waffles and calmly ate. When he was finished, Ash and May were struggling to eat their last waffles.

"What's the matter?' he asked, completely oblivious.

"Too...much...food…" Ash moaned as he chewed sorrowfully on another bite.

"Need...to lie...down…" May also said. With that, the two of them promptly collapsed.

"Oh my," Delia said, shocked. "It seems these two finally ended up outdoing themselves." She dragged Ash to his room before coming back and dragging May to her room.

"Why'd they eat so much?" Hau wondered when she came back.

"They have quite the appetite," Delia explained, "and they tend to try and outdo each other in little eating contests." She chuckled to herself. "Looks like they finally found someone who could eat more than them!"

"Oho, is that right?" Hau grinned cheekily. "Maybe next time we eat I'll challenge them to a contest!" With that, he stood up, wiping his face with his napkin. "Well, it was nice to meet you, Mrs. Ketchum. Thanks for the delicious meal!"

"You're welcome," she replied. "Come back any time!"

"Will do," Hau called back as he walked out the door. "See ya later!" With that, he was gone.

Delia simply smiled and shook her head. "Gluttony, thy name is Pokemon Trainer."

* * *

 **You have no idea, Delia.**

 **You wanna know what rots about writer's block? When you have a scene where not a lot happens as far as the bigger picture goes, it can be pretty grueling to get from point A to point B. Not much happens in this chapter, and I just wanted to get to the next chapter so Ash could have his rematch with Hala. But first I had to write this chapter and have Ash and May rest up after the last chapter. In short: combining writer's block, a lack of motivation and straight-up laziness is a recipe for disappointment.**

 **I have a lot more fun writing Gladion's and Lillie's characters in this and playing him off of the heroes, _especially_ Gladion, which is why those chapters are easier and more consistent to write. And then there's stuff like this.**

 **Anyway, that's why this story got stuck for a month. I should stay consistent for a while now...assuming I actually WRITE.**


	32. Chapter 3-7: Kahuna Krack-Up

Chapter 3-7: Kahuna Krack-Up

Ash and May didn't take long to recover from overeating. By the time they were heading out the door again, their Pokemon had also gotten their rest. With that, they set out for Iki Town.

"Time to take on the kahuna again!" Ash grinned.

" _Pikachu_!" Pikachu agreed.

"Do you think Rowlet is ready this time?" May asked.

"You bet I do," Ash replied. "We're more focused than ever, and with the new strategies we developed, we'll definitely beat Hala this time!" May giggled. Ash turned to her, his expression unchanged. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing," she said. "You're just acting really cute right now, that's all."

Ash blinked, confused. "What do you mean? I'm being serious."

"I know," May giggled again. "That's why it's so cute."

Ash blinked again, then rolled his eyes. "I wonder if I'll ever understand girls."

" _Chaaaaa_ ," Pikachu agreed.

"Probably not," May winked. That was when they heard a small explosion not far off. "What was that?"

"Sounds like a battle," Ash mused. They ran through the town and, unsurprisingly, found that the local battlefield was currently occupied. What _did_ surprise them was who was battling.

"Gladion?" Ash blinked.

"Why is he challenging the kahuna?" May wondered. "Is he taking on the Island Challenge, too?"

The two of them had arrived at the end of the battle and, even more surprising, Hala's Crabrawler had fainted, meaning Gladion had won the match.

"Good work, Null," he said as he recalled his Pokemon. "Rest up for the next one." With that, he glared at the kahuna in contempt.

"I'm impressed," Hala said with a small smile. "Your bond with your Pokemon is strong, and it allowed you to claim vic–"

"Yeah, whatever," Gladion interrupted him. Ash and May frowned at this. "I didn't challenge you just so you could give some sappy speech." With that, he turned and started to walk away. Before he disappeared, however, he turned back one more time. "You know, they say a Pokemon's strength is a reflection of their trainer's strength."

"Oh, I can see where this is going," May growled softly.

"Hmph," Gladion grunted, closing his eyes. "Well, there's an exception to every rule. Your Pokemon are tough, and that was a good battle." Then his eyes opened again as he glared at the kahuna. "But that's not because they have a strong trainer. It's because they have a weak trainer with an important title." With that, he turned away.

"I don't suppose you'd like to battle again someday?" Hala asked with a smile.

Gladion turned back and glared at him again, this time with a fiercer glare. "I'm looking for strong opponents: opponents who can challenge Null and me to grow stronger and unlock our full power. You've given me none of that. All you've given me is a decent battle. If you _really_ want a rematch, you need to get stronger." With that, he started to walk away again.

"Hold on, young man," Hala called.

"What?!" Gladion whipped around, clearly irritated. "What else could you possibly have to say that you haven't already said?!"

"Nothing at the moment," the kahuna replied. "However, I would like to meet with you privately at my place. I have something that belonged to your father."

Gladion opened his mouth to retort, but his words caught in his throat as his eyes widened. "My... _what?_ "

"Come by anytime," Hala chuckled as he walked away, leaving Gladion speechless.

"Oh, sure," Ash rolled his eyes. "Whenever I bring up his mother, he wants to kill me, but when the kahuna brings up his father, he just stands there speechless!" He and Pikachu looked at each other, then burst into laughter.

Gladion just glared at them in annoyance. "Not funny," he grumbled.

"Are you taking on the Island Challenge too, Gladion?" May asked.

"No," he replied. "I just challenged Hala to see if he could provide a challenge." He put his hand on his forehead. "His Pokemon are tough, but their trainer is weak." He lowered his arm. "It's an odd juxtaposition."

"I've seen stranger," May muttered to herself.

Gladion turned to Ash. "Are you here for a rematch?"

"Yep," Ash nodded. "We should have little trouble winning this time!"

"Good," his rival said, turning away. "I'm gonna go to the Pokemon Center to heal my Pokemon up. Once you've beaten him, you know where to find me." As he walked away, he bumped into someone else who was coming towards them.

"Ah!" Lillie exclaimed, holding her bag as it waved about.

Gladion stopped in his tracks and turned to her. "Is it just a habit of yours to bump into people?" he asked her.

"Ah...yes," she said, blushing with a sheepish smile. "I guess so."

May thought Gladion was annoyed. But, to her surprise, his frown changed into a smile. "I guess some things don't ever change." With that, he walked away. "Don't hurt yourself, Lillie," he said as he walked away.

Lillie sighed sadly as she came up to her friends. "I'm doing my best, Gladion." She looked up at them and noticed their bewildered expressions.

"What was that all about?" Ash wondered. "You two know each other?"

" _Pikachu_?" Pikachu said likewise.

"Oh!" Lillie exclaimed, realizing they didn't know. "Yes. You see, he's my –"

"Ash!" the hearty voice of the kahuna interrupted her as he proudly strolled up to them. "I see you've returned! Here for a rematch, I presume?"

"You know it, Kahuna!" Ash nodded with a grin.

"Very well," Hala said. "Give my Pokemon a few minutes to recover from that last battle we had against that young man, and then you shall have your rematch."

"Will do," Ash grinned as the kahuna walked away. "I'm a patient guy; I can wait."

May sputtered at that. "You? _Patient_?!" With that, she burst into laughter, prompting Ash to look at her with a goofy frown.

"You're hilarious, May," he said. This prompted Pikachu to burst out laughing as well. "Oh, come on, Pikachu!" Ash groaned. "Can't a guy get any respect around here?!"

"Sorry," May said, suppressing her giggles. "You're just funny, that's all."

"Shut up," Ash chuckled, elbowing her in the ribs. "All right. I'm gonna get my Pokemon ready to take on the kahuna." With that, he called out Rowlet and, along with Pikachu, they began working on their strategy.

May smiled to herself as she watched her boyfriend train. Then she remembered that they weren't alone. She turned to Lillie, who was staring wistfully down the path Gladion went down not long ago. "What were you saying earlier about Gladion?"

"Hm? Oh!" Lillie said. "I was saying, he's...well...he's my…"

May listened as Lillie stumbled over her words. Then she got an idea. "Oh...I get it!"

"Y-You do?" she said, tensing up a little.

"He's your boyfriend, isn't he?"

"WHAT?!" Lillie cried, blushing intensely. Nebby, who had gotten out of the bag while she wasn't looking, burst out laughing. "N-No! That's not – what?!"

"I'm sorry!" May laughed, thinking she was right. "I'm sor – oh man, you should see your face right now!" Lillie continued to sputter as May and Nebby laughed at her. Eventually, May calmed down and wiped her eyes. "Whew!" she said, suppressing another giggle. "That was funny."

"Hey, May!" Ash called. "Could you help me out with a little strategy?"

"Oh, sure!" May said. "Be right there!" She walked over to him, leaving Lillie standing there stunned and still blushing profusely.

"She thinks Gladion and I are... _dating_?!"

" _Pew_!" Nebby laughed, still in hysterics.

Lillie turned to him, putting on an annoyed expression. "Aren't you a riot," she mumbled, then opened her bag. "Back in the bag, you." Nebby, with one final chuckle, hopped back in.


	33. Chapter 3-8: Waiting on Love

**Remember how I said I'd have more time to update because school was winding down a few months ago? Yeah...I'm beginning to think I had the wrong idea. Even though I had more _time_ to write, my life didn't have any _structure_ thanks to school ending. And when I don't have structure in my life, _nothing good happens_. Not exactly pleasant, you know?**

 **Anyways, I got a shot of motivation yesterday when I looked up yesterday's episode and learned that Ash's Rockruff was going to evolve soon. My motivation amplified even further with the preview for the next episode revealing that Gladion will appear again...THIS time with Type: Null.**

 **But I digress. Here's the next chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 3-8: Waiting on Love

"All right," Ash grinned. "You guys got the strategy, right?"

" _Pika_!"

" _Koo_!"

"Great!" Ash grinned. "Remember: stay focused and follow my instructions. Gladion's strategy is the key to winning, right?" The two Pokemon nodded their assent. "All right. Once he gets back, it'll be time for our rematch."

"Yeah," May nodded, frowning to herself with her hand on her chin.

Ash noticed this. "You all right, May?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," May nodded with a smile, lowering her hand. "I was just thinking about Oricorio and how it acted during that battle with Hau. I don't know what it was thinking!"

"Yeah, that was odd," Ash agreed, putting his hand on his chin. "Either Oricorio saw something that we didn't, or it flat-out disobeyed you."

"Why would it do that?" May wondered.

"That's something you need to find out," Ash said, lowering his hand. "Pokemon don't simply disrespect their trainers for no reason. Whatever Oricorio's reason is, you need to figure it out and address it. That's the way you'll earn its respect."

" _Pika pika_!" Pikachu agreed from below.

"Hey, now hold up," Ash glared at Pikachu jokingly. "Don't go acting like you're above that kind of behavior. I still remember all the trouble you put me through the day we met."

" _Piii_ ," Pikachu blinked as his eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, fearful of getting in trouble.

Ash laughed. "I'm just kidding, buddy!" he said, scooping him up and hugging him.

" _Chaaaa_ ," Pikachu laughed, snuggling into him. May giggled at the sight.

"Um, Ash?"

"Hm?" he said, turning towards Lillie, who had come up to him slowly.

"Good luck in your rematch," she said. "I...probably won't stay to watch it this time. I have some things to take care of at the Pokemon Center."

"Oh," he said. "Okay. Well, if you have a moment to spare, come on back, okay?"

"Sure," she nodded. With that, she turned and briskly walked away.

"I wonder what she's doing?" May mused.

"I don't," Ash shrugged. "It's just business, right?"

* * *

Lillie opened the door to the center and walked in. She stood in the doorway and looked around, only to find no one she knew.

"Oh," she moaned. "Where could he have gone?"

"Looking for someone?"

She turned, startled and saw Gladion right behind her. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "You! But...where were you?"

"I decided to go see the kahuna after all," he explained, walking in as she let him pass. "He...had some interesting things to say."

"He did?" she said, her eyes widening. "What about?"

"Come with me to my room," he said. "I need a place where I know no one else will be listening."

Lillie nodded and followed him to the end of the Center's hall, where a rusted door sat. "You're settling for this?" she asked. "All the other rooms are so much nicer, though!"

"'Nice' doesn't mean 'homely,'" Gladion replied, an acidic tinge to his tone as he unlocked the door. "Besides, when you've been through what I've been through the last few years, you really come to embrace this lifestyle." He opened the door to reveal his room. It was as rusty as the door, though it was still clean enough for someone to rest in. "After you," he said, gesturing. She walked in, and he followed her, closing the door behind them and locking it. "All right," he said, opening his mouth to begin speaking.

"Wait," Lillie said abruptly, holding her hand up.

"Huh?"

"Before you say anything," she said as she removed her large hat, "there's something I need to say."

"What's that?" he asked. In response, Lillie came forward and threw her arms around him. His eyes went wide; this was not what he expected.

"Gladion," she whispered, trying hard not to cry, "I've missed you so much."

Gladion clenched his fists for a moment before surrendering to her embrace and reciprocating it. Her hair still smelled like the lime-flavored shampoo she'd always used. Although he once hated that smell, he now found a strange feeling of assurance from it.

"To be honest," he said more quietly than ever, "I've missed you too, Lillie." They stood there for what felt to them like an eternity, just hugging each other. The feeling of being with someone they loved was something they'd long been deprived of; it was good to feel that again.

They broke apart, and Lillie wiped her eyes. "Sorry," she said. "I needed that...badly."

"Yeah," Gladion nodded. "Me too."

* * *

After five minutes, Ash was tapping his foot impatiently. After eight minutes, his eye started to twitch. After ten minutes, he started making strange noises. Finally, after twelve minutes, he let loose:

"HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO TAKE?!"

His shout scared a nearby flock of Pikipek hiding in the trees, as they promptly flew away chirping in fear.

"A patient guy, huh?" May grinned at him with a cartoonishly large grin.

"Uh...yeah," he replied. "I can wait! I mean...I could probably wait as long as three weeks for him to show up!"

"Surrrrrre," May smirked.

"Ho ho!" came the voice of Hala as he strode back up to them. "Ready for battle, are we?"

"THERE you are, Kahuna!" Ash said, exaggerating his exasperation. "Where were you?! Pikachu, Rowlet and I have been waiting for AGES!"

"Ah," Hala chuckled. "Seems your patience could use some work, my friend. Come! Take your place on the battlefield!"

At this, Ash regained his usual demeanor and grinned with determination. "Ready to do this, guys?"

" _Pika_!"

" _Koo_!"

"All right," he grinned. "Time to face the Kahuna. And _this_ time, I _won't_ lose!"


	34. Chapter 3-9: The Next Step

Chapter 3-9: The Next Step

Professor Kukui arrived shortly after Hala to act as referee for the match. "Just like last time, this will be a two-on-two battle. When one trainer has lost both of their Pokemon, they have lost, and the other trainer will be declared the winner."

"Let's do this!" Ash grinned in excitement. "Pikachu, I choose you!"

" _Pika_!" Pikachu said, jumping forward into a battle-ready stance.

"I see you're starting with the same Pokemon as last time," Hala said with a grin as he reached for a Pokeball. "Then I see no reason not to follow suit. Hariyama, let us begin!"

"Hariyama?!" Ash and May both exclaimed at the same time. Sure enough, the Arm Thrust Pokemon emerged from Hala's ball, ready for battle. Upon seeing Pikachu, it leered in anticipation, as did Pikachu.

"Ho ho ho!" Hala chuckled. "If there's one thing a trainer should _always_ be prepared for, it's the unexpected!"

"This is gonna be tougher than I thought," Ash muttered to himself.

"Let the Grand Trial begin!" Kukui cried.

"Guess I need a different strategy," Ash decided. "Pikachu, open this up with Quick Attack!" Pikachu subsequently dashed forward, zig-zagging along the battlefield towards Hariyama.

Hala just chuckled. "Seems some people never learn. Hariyama, Fake Out!" Hariyama's hands began to glow white as Pikachu drew nearer. "Ready now...steady…"

"Pikachu, Iron Tail now!" Right as Pikachu was about to collide with Hariyama, he slammed the ground with his steel tail, launching himself into the air at an angle from Hariyama. "Now, Electro Ball!" A glowing ball of electricity formed on Pikachu's tail, and he launched it straight at Hariyama, who had no time to react after the confusion Pikachu caused. Pikachu then landed in front of Hariyama.

"That was impressive," Hala grinned. "But the battle's only just begun. Hariyama! Knock Off!" Hariyama recovered from the attack and jumped forward, slamming Pikachu with its hand.

"Pikachu, strike back with Thunderbolt!" Ash called. Pikachu jumped up and launched its signature attack at Hariyama. Although Hariyama hadn't taken too much damage, it was starting to show signs of fatigue.

"Seems Hariyama still has the lower hand in spite of evolving," Hala said to himself. "If Pikachu doesn't fall soon, Ash will gain the advantage again." He chuckled as he decided his next move. "Hariyama, use Belly Drum!"

"Belly Drum?" May wondered as Hairyama began to beat its stomach with its hands. The Arm Thrust Pokemon looked even more tired than before, but there was a fierce gaze in its eye. "Wait a minute," May said, her eyes widening, "Belly Drum has a Pokemon give up half its health...to…oh no! Ash! Pikachu! Watch out!"

"Hariyama!" Hala commanded, "Use Knock Off!" Hariyama leapt forward and grabbed Pikachu, raising him up.

"Pikachu get out of there!" Ash cried. Despite his best efforts, Pikachu couldn't escape and was promptly slammed into the ground. The impact created a small dust cloud that obscured Ash's Pokemon. When it settled, Pikachu was knocked out.

"Pikachu is unable to battle," Kukui said. "Hariyama wins."

Ash came forward and picked up Pikachu. "Great job out there, buddy," he said. "I guess we got caught off guard this time, huh?"

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu agreed cutely.

He brought Pikachu back to the sidelines and pulled out another Pokeball. "But this battle's not over yet. Rowlet, I choose you!" He threw the ball and released his Alolan starter.

"Oho!" Hala chuckled. "Your Pokemon seems even stronger than before."

"We took your advice to heart," Ash grinned. "And now we'll show you what we can really do!"

"Then come! Show me what you can do! Hariyama, use Knock Off!" Hala commanded. Hariyama ran forward, ready to strike.

"Rowlet, dodge and attack with Peck!" Ash called. Rowlet flew up away from Hariyama, who slowed down when it did so. Before Hariyama had time to react, Rowlet rammed into its backside with a glowing beak, sending it flying forward a small distance. The fallen Pokemon flipped forward onto its back before its eyes turned to swirls.

"Hariyama is unable to battle," Kukui said. "Rowlet wins!"

"Way to go, Rowlet!" May cheered.

" _Koo koo_!" Rowlet grinned.

"Hariyama, return," Hala said, recalling his Pokemon. "You fought well." He looked up at Ash. "I suppose you're familiar with what I intend to use next."

"Bring it!" Ash grinned.

"Very well," Hala chuckled. "Let's see just how much stronger your bond with Rowlet is! Crabrawler, let us finish this!" He unleashed his signature Pokemon, who glared at Rowlet with a fierce gaze once again. Rowlet tensed up in fear. "Crabrawler, use Power-Up Punch!" Crabrawler's fist began to glow, and it rammed it into Rowlet, who flew back a short ways. Rowelt, however, wasn't too damaged by the attack.

"That was just the first Power-Up Punch," Ash said to himself, clenching his fists. "From here on out, Crabrawler's attacks are only gonna get stronger. We gotta be careful. Rowlet! Use Tackle!" Rowlet flew forward and rammed into Crabrawler, pushing it back a little. "Now follow it up with Peck!" Ash said. Rowlet flew a loop and headed for Crabrawler again.

"Block it with Power-Up Punch!" Hala ordered. Crabrawler brought its glowing fist forward and stopped Rowlet's attack, knocking it to the ground. The damage was now clearly taking its toll on it, as it struggled to get back to its feet. It looked up to see Crabrawler leering at it again, causing it to tense up in fear.

"Don't be afraid, Rowlet!" Ash called. Rowlet turned its head around to face Ash. "You can beat him! I know you can! Give it another Peck!"

That was all Rowlet needed to carry on. With renewed determination, it shot forward, beak glowing, and rammed into Crabrawler. The Boxing Pokemon was caught off guard and took significant damage. But it wasn't over yet, as Crabrawler struggled back to its feet.

"This could be trouble," Hala mused.

"Now, Peck again!" Ash called. Rowlet flew forward to ram into Crabrawler.

"Not so fast!" Hala said. "Crabrawler, block the attack!" Crabrawler did so, blocking each of its weak points so Rowlet couldn't land a hit. Rowlet flew around multiple times to try and strike, but to no avail.

"He's playing defensively," Ash muttered. "I need to outmaneuver it if I want to get it." His eyes lit up after saying that. "That's it! Rowlet, fall back a little and use Peck again!" Rowlet obeyed, flying back before charging forward at Crabrawler with a glowing beak.

"Seems some people never learn," Hala mused in slight disappointment. "Crabrawler, block it." Crabrawler lifted up its pincer, ready to block. Just as Rowlet was about to collide with it, however, Ash gave another command:

"Swerve!"

Rowlet shot up into the sky, seemingly out of sight. Crabrawler blinked in confusion and looked around, wondering where it went.

"Oh dear," Hala muttered.

"NOW!" Ash called. "DIVE IN WITH PECK!"

Rowlet shot down from the sky, heading straight for Crabrawler. "Crabrawler, counter with Brutal Swing!" Hala cried. Crabrawler readied its pincer to counter Rowlet. The two attacks collided, and the impact created a small explosion that engulfed the battlefield.

"Ungh!" May grunted, covering her eyes. The dust quickly lessened, and she looked up, blinking away what got in her eyes. "Come on, Rowlet."

The dust settled, revealing Rowlet flying over an unconscious Crabrawler. Rowlet had won.

"Crabrawler is unable to battle!" Kukui declared. "Rowlet wins! The winner of this battle is Ash Ketchum!"

"Yeah!" Ash cheered, pumping his fists. Rowlet also cheered and flew back to Ash. "Way to go, Rowlet. I know you could do it!"

" _Koo koo_!" Rowlet said as it nuzzled against him.

"Crabrawler, return," Hala said, recalling his Pokemon. "You fought well out there." He then looked up at Ash with a smile. "Ho ho! The results came as no surprise to me. You are truly a fine trainer, with fine Pokemon as well!"

"Thank you, Kahuna," Ash said, bowing in respect.

Hala reached into his back pocket. "Accept this Z-Crystal," he said, shifting around to get it, "that you may share your power with your Pokemon!" He pulled out the crystal, only to gasp in shock. "What in the name of –?!"

"What is it?" Ash blinked.

"I put a Fightinium Z into my pocket this morning in anticipation for your rematch," Hala explained. "And yet the only crystal in my pocket now is an Electrium Z!"

"What?"

"Are you sure it was a Fightinium Z?" May asked.

"Absolutely," Hala replied firmly. "It's the only crystal I have to give!"

"Then what happened to it?" Ash asked. His response came as a shock to everyone, as a shriek from the skies caught their attention. They then witnessed a streak of light shoot across the sky in broad daylight.

"Wait!" May exclaimed, "Isn't that –?!"

"Tapu Koko!" Ash realized with a smile.

At this, Hala laughed at himself. "Oh, of course!" he said. "Who else could cause such mischief like a switch in Z-Crystals?" He looked at the crystal in his hand. "It seems Tapu Koko wanted you to have a different Z-Crystal than the one I intended to give. Very well, then. Take this Electrium Z as proof that you have conquered the Melemele Grand Trial!"

"Thank you, Kahuna," Ash said. He took the crystal in his hand. "All right!" he cheered as he struck a pose. "I got the Electrium Z!"

" _Pi Pikachu_!"

May came forward with a smile. "Way to go, Ash," she said. "It's about time we replaced that other Z-Crystal!"

"I agree," Ash grinned back at her. "Now Pikachu and I can unleash our full power!"

May just shook her head and kissed his cheek. He blushed at this with a goofy grin.

"You gave me quite a match, Ash," Hala said. "Perhaps you could teach my grandson a thing or two."

"I'd love to," Ash grinned. "But for now, I think I should take my Pokemon back to the Center to rest."

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu agreed.

"Very well," Hala said, offering his hand. "I wish you luck as you continue your Island Challenge."

"Thanks, Kahuna," Ash replied, shaking it. With that, he turned and headed for the Pokemon Center, with May in tow.

Hala looked to the sky curiously. "Tapu Koko's taken quite an interest in those two," he mused. "I wonder what our oh-so-fickle guardian sees in them." He looked for a moment more, then chuckled to himself. "I suppose their destiny in Alola is far greater than anyone realizes." With that, he walked to his home.

* * *

Ash and May arrived at the Pokemon Center shortly after his battle. There, they saw Gladion leaning against the wall, arms folded with his usual scowl on his face.

"Nurse Joy," Ash said coming up to the nurse, "could you take my Pokemon in to rest for a bit? We just finished battling the Kahuna."

"Certainly!" she replied in her usual cheerful tone, taking Pikachu and Rowlet to rest.

"So," May said to Ash, "now that we've cleared the Grand Trial, what's next?"

"Hm," Ash mused. "I'm not really sure. We should probably ask Professor Kukui where to head next." Abruptly, Nurse Joy came back out. "Huh? Are my Pokemon already rested up?"

"Not yet," she shook her head. She was carrying a small tablet. "I just thought I'd try this little doohickey out while they recover." She placed the tablet in a small dock next to a large television. The television instantly lit up as a program turned on.

"Whoa!" Ash exclaimed.

"Well what do you know? It works!" she said happily. "I'll be back out soon." With that, she went back. Meanwhile, Ash and May looked at the screen curiously.

" _Today's broadcast has been brought to you by the Aether Foundation_ ," the program said. " _Protecting and conserving Pokemon around the world. And now, a word from our very own Aether Branch Chief, Mr. Faba._ "

"The Aether Foundation," May mused. Unseen by the two of them, Gladion glared at the screen intensely.

Ash looked at May and noticed she was staring at the screen intently. "What about it? Have you heard of it before?"

"I read about it when we were sailing here," she said, pulling a small booklet out of her bag. "There's this huge island facility here called Aether Paradise. At first I thought we could stop by there for a visit some time, but when we started our Island Challenge it...kinda slipped to the back of my mind."

"Oh," Ash mused. "Hm...well, maybe we can stop by there sometime during our Island Challenge."

"I hope so," she smiled. "It seems like such a wonderful place."

"Hmph," Gladion grunted inaudibly.

" _Thank you for your time_ ," the man on the screen, Faba, said.

May blinked. "What did he say?"

"I wasn't listening," Ash shrugged.

" _And now, we'd like to reveal more details about one of the Foundation's upcoming projects. To do so, I'd like to welcome a very special guest: our very own president, the lovely Ms. Lusamine!_ "

"Ooh!" May said eagerly. "I wonder what kind of special announcement that could be!"

"Sh," Ash said. "I wanna hear this, too."

As the branch chief applauded, the camera panned to a woman walking onto the set. She was tall and slender: a beautiful woman. Her yellow hair was long and perfect, with one of her elegant bangs covering her eye. Her visible eye was lime green. She wore a short white sleeveless dress and long white leggings that strongly emphasized her slender legs. Her footwear consisted of green high heels. To complete the ensemble, a curious diamond was embroidered on the front of her dress.

"Oh wow," May breathed. "She looks amazing!"

"Uh...yeah, she does," Ash said, flustered. Then he covered his mouth as he realized what he just said. "Oops! Sorry!"

May turned to him, confused. "What?"

"I just called another woman beautiful," he said. "You can't do that when you're dating someone, right?" May blinked, then burst into a fit of laughter. Now it was Ash's turn to be confused. "What? What's so funny?"

May stifled her giggles. "Sorry," she said. "It's just...you...keeheehee!"

"What? I'm serious, May!"

"I know you are!" she replied, getting a hold of herself. "But you don't have to be sorry, Ash. It's okay to think another woman's beautiful if you have a girlfriend."

"You sure?" Ash asked, puzzled.

"Of course!" she grinned. "What's _not_ okay is cheating on your girlfriend, and if there's anyone in the world I would expect _never_ to cheat on their girlfriend, it's you, Ash."

"Oh," Ash blinked. Then he chuckled at himself. "That's a relief. I guess I'm just being facetious...whatever that means."

It was Gladion's turn to smirk, finding Ash's remark genuinely amusing. But his smirk quickly vanished when the president began speaking. "Here she goes!" May said. "Quiet!"

" _Thank you, Faba_ ," the president began. " _As many of you know, the Aether Foundation is dedicated to the protection and conservation of endangered Pokemon. It is our solemn duty to protect Pokemon from harm and heal those who have been hurt._ "

"Wow," Ash mused. "That sounds great."

"It's nice to see a formal organization working for good for once," May agreed. Gladion resisted the urge to hurl at her optimism.

" _However_ ," the president went on, " _our work has largely been unknown for a long time. As such, we've decided to start a campaign to spread the word about the Foundation's continuing activities_."

"A campaign, hm?" Ash mused.

"Do they want money?" May wondered.

" _With this in mind, the Aether Foundation is proud to announce the first ever Aether Festival!_ "

"Festival?!" May exclaimed.

"Wait," Ash said, eyes widening, "does that mean –?!"

" _The Aether Festival is an event exclusively for those taking part in the Island Challenge_ ," the president explained. " _In three months time, the Foundation will open up its headquarters, Aether Paradise, to registered trial-goers who have obtained five special Z-Crystals. Then, those trial-goers will compete in a unique contest of beauty. If you're interested in showing your Pokemon's beauty, then this may be just what you're looking for! Registration is free to all trial-goers! For more information, visit our website at aetherfoundation dot com. Thank you, and I hope to see you here._ " With that, the program ended.

"The Aether Festival!" May squealed.

"Sounds like Alola's version of a Grand Festival," Ash grinned. "And you could win it, May!"

"Oh boy!" she cheered, jumping up from her seat and striking an epic pose. "What are we waiting for?! Let's go register!"

"Uh, May?" Ash said.

"What is it, Ash?" she said, not faltering.

"Where do we even register?"

She blinked, her expression changing to one of confusion, though her pose didn't change for a moment. "Oh," she said, relaxing. "Oops." She sweatdropped. "I guess we should figure that out first."

"Have you been to Akala Island?"

The two of them turned to see Gladion come up to them. "Akala Island?" May repeated.

"It's the island just east of here," he explained. "You can take a ferry from Hau'oli City to Heahea City. There's a small gathering of Aether Field Workers there. You can talk to them about registering."

"Thanks!" May grinned. "You know, when you really try, you really can be a nice guy, Gladion."

"Hmph," Gladion mumbled, turning to the side with his arms folded. "Don't get used to it."

"Don't worry," Ash replied. "I don't know about May, but I don't plan to get used to it." At that moment, Nurse Joy came back out.

"Your Pokemon are all rested up, Ash," she said. "Thank you for your patience."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy!" Ash grinned, taking his Pokemon back while May snickered in the background at Nurse Joy's comment. "Did you have a nice rest, Pikachu?"

" _Pika pika_!" Pikachu nodded.

"Great," he said as Pikachu climbed on his shoulder. He turned to Gladion. "We were able to beat the Kahuna, so whenever you're ready for battle, let me know."

"Meet me at the battlefield at sunset," Gladion replied, turning and walking towards the door. "I'll be waiting for you there." With that, he walked out.

"One battle ends, and another begins," May muttered.

"I don't know about you, but I'm excited to battle him again," Ash grinned excitedly.

" _Pika pikachu_!" Pikachu agreed.

"Just make sure you beat him this time," May said.

"You know I will," he winked at her.


	35. Chapter 3-10: The Ice Blade

**Yeahhhh...I'm not even gonna try and justify my absence this time.**

* * *

Chapter 3-10: The Ice Blade

Gladion leaned against a tree, arms folded and eyes closed. His mind was drifting to places: some from long ago, others from not too long ago. He saw a trembling child at the mercy of a monster; he saw an ill Pokemon which he brought back home to take care of, despite his mother's admonishments; he saw his sister, fearful and trembling, as she realized she was all alone. No one could understand her. Even he, despite being closer to her than anyone else, felt that he couldn't keep her safe; the last two years had been rough for him, but he knew that whatever he had endured, she'd endured things seven times worse.

His mind drifted to other places besides these: far, near, and many in between. But no matter where he flew to, wherever he was, every memory ended the same way: a pair of deadly green eyes leering at him, reminding him that he was never safe. A cold breeze blew through town, causing him to shiver violently as he hugged himself to keep warm. As he did so, his mind drifted to yet another place.

 _Are you cold, little boy?_

He shivered again, trying to warm himself up.

 _Now why would you need a sweater? You look perfect, just the way you are._

His teeth began to chatter, and he could feel his pale skin grow even paler.

 _You wouldn't want to make Mommy angry, would you?_

His back slid down slightly, but he couldn't stop himself.

 _WOULD YOU?_

"Gladion!"

"NO!" Gladion screamed instinctively, his eyes shooting open. For a moment he stayed still, breathing heavily without registering his surroundings. After a moment, he relaxed and looked up to see Ash standing over him, a concerned look on his face. He felt his body temperature and skin tone return to normal, while his mind, realizing it had been gone a little too long, quickly came back home. And, of course, the eyes were gone.

But he knew they weren't _really_ gone. They were still there, watching him: his every move. There was no escape from them.

 _Ever._

"Are you okay?" Ash asked.

"You look ill," May said, coming up to them. "Do you have a fever?" There wasn't a hint of disdain in her voice, something which surprised Gladion somewhat.

"I'm fine," he said, his voice shaking. "Just remembering a bad memory, that's all." He propped his arm on the tree he was leaning on and pulled himself up.

"You sure you're okay?" Ash asked. "You looked pretty shaken up for just remembering a bad memory."

"Well, I have a lot of them," Gladion huffed in annoyance. "They tend to creep up on me when I'm alone."

"Really?" May said, bringing her hands up to her face in astonishment. "That sounds awful!"

"Hmph," was Gladion's response as he folded his arms again. "I'm used to it by this point."

"Aaand he's back to normal, folks," May rolled her eyes.

"So," Ash asked, "ready for battle? Or do you need a moment to recover?"

Gladion thought for a moment, then sighed. "I think I should take a minute to pull myself together," he said. "Once I'm ready, we'll have our battle."

"All right. Let me know when –"

The sound of a net flying through the air interrupted Ash. It latched onto Pikachu, trapping the poor Pokemon. Before anyone had time to react, two other nets flew towards Ash and May, trapping them as well. "Pikachu!" Ash cried.

"Hey, what's going on?!" May shouted.

"Did someone ask something? We're here to find out!"  
"Noble answers are what we're all about!"  
"The beauty so radiant, the flowers and moon hide in shame,  
"A single flower of evil in this fleeting world,  
"Jessie!"  
"The nobly heroic man of our times,  
"The master of darkness fighting back against a tragic world,  
"It's James!"  
"It's all for one, and one for all,  
"A glittering, dark star that always shines bright,  
"Dig it! While Meowth takes flight!"  
"Team Rocket, let's fight!"  
"That's right!"  
" _Woooooobbuffet_!"

Ash and May looked on in disgust as their all-too familiar nemeses revealed themselves. "Team Rocket!" May cried.

"Give me back my Pikachu!" Ash shouted.

"Ha!" Meowth sneered. "Sorry, twoip-cakes, but Pikachu belongs to us now."

"Maybe next time, if you want to keep him safe, you should take a 'pika'-round you!" James taunted him.

At that, Jessie turned to him in annoyance. "Do you really have to make pun of the situation?" she growled.

"Why, yes!" James chuckled. "Yes I do!"

"Bah, whatever," Meowth interrupted them. "Let's just get outta here before the twoips get some help."

"Too late," Gladion snarled, coming forward.

"Eh?" the trio blinked. "Hey, wait a sec!" Meowth exclaimed. "I remember dis guy!"

"Isn't he the one who left us hanging back in that forest?" James said.

"Yes, he is!" Jessie growled. "We'll make you pay for making a fool out of Team Rocket!"

"What do I need to do that for?" Gladion rolled his eyes. "You do a fine job of it yourselves. Now release Pikachu!"

"Not a chance!" Meowth sneered. "You ain't gonna take what we rightfully stole!"

"Watch me," Gladion growled, pulling out a Pokeball. "Let's go, Null!" He tossed the ball and unleashed his main Pokemon. Null glared at Team Rocket.

"Oh, look," James muttered. "A freak of nature. I wonder what our Rocket-pedia has to say about this." He pulled out a scanner device and scanned Null.

"You do that, _I'll_ take care of combat!" Meowth sneered. He jumped up, claws glowing. "Hahah! Take this, freaky-face!" He slashed at Null's face...only to break his claws on its helmet. "GYYYAAAAAOOOWWWWWWWWW!" he shrieked.

"Whoa," Ash said.

"Did that helmet even get scratched?" May wondered.

"Null, slash them with Aerial Ace!" Gladion ordered. Null obeyed, running forward at a sluggish rate before rising onto its hind legs, slashing at the trio. This knocked Pikachu out of Jessie's grip and freed him. He, in turn, ran to his trainer to help him escape.

"Now finish them with Crush Claw!" Gladion shouted. Null rose up, its claw glowing blue, and slashed Team Rocket, creating a powerful impact that sent them flying.

"Just you wait, you brat!" Jessie shouted at him. "You haven't seen the last of us!"

"Next time we meet, that Pokemon will be ours!" James shouted as well.

"See you in the next chapter!" Meowth shouted last. Then, all together...

"WE'RE BLASTING OFF AGAINNNNNNN!"

 _*ding*_

Ash and May stood up, as Pikachu had torn apart their nets. "Thanks for your help, Gladion," Ash said, brushing himself off and helping May to her feet. "Guess we'll have to wait even longer to battle huh?"

"No need to wait," Gladion replied, turning back to him. "I'm ready."

"Huh? But wasn't Null winded by that battle."

Null turned to Ash, revealing that its helmet wasn't even scratched. "Whatever else that Meowth of theirs can do besides talk, he's still a weakling in battle. To answer your earlier question, no, he didn't even leave a scratch."

"Wow!" May said, impressed. "That helmet must be great in battle when you need some defense!"

"Hmph," Gladion mumbled, looking at the helmet in disdain. He slowly rubbed his hand over it. "No...not even a scratch."

"So," Ash interrupted his thoughts, "ready for battle?"

Gladion turned to him with a serious and focused look. "Let's begin."

* * *

Hala sat on a bench, resting himself and reflecting. As he rested, someone walked up to him.

"Hey, Kahuna! You still resting after that battle, yeah?"

"Yes," Hala nodded. "And thinking about what happened."

"Hm? Whataya mean?"

"Tapu Koko has strange ways, Kukui," the kahuna replied. "I wonder...what does it see in Ash and May? It hadn't even met them until a short time ago, and yet it's taken a keen interest in them." He looked to the sky as the sun reached its peak for the day. "Perhaps there is much more that is happening than even we know. Much, much more..."

* * *

Ash and Gladion stood at opposite ends of the battlefield. "Um," May said from the sidelines, "should I get the professor? We could probably use a referee for this –"

"That won't be necessary," Gladion cut her off. "This will be a two-on-two battle with substitutions allowed. Whoever knocks out the opponent's whole team first wins."

"Two-on-two?" Ash repeated.

"Yes," his rival replied. "You do have two Pokemon, don't you?"  
"Well, yeah," he nodded. "But...are you planning to use Rockruff?"

"The only way he'll get stronger is if I train him," Gladion explained, pulling out a Pokeball. "If things get too rough for him, I'll pull him out. Otherwise, he's a competent battler. Let's go, Rockruff!" He threw the ball, releasing his Pokemon.

" _Ruff_!" Rockruff barked on being let out.

"Rowlet, I choose you!" Ash called, tossing his own ball and releasing his Alolan Pokemon.

" _Koo_!" Rowlet said, eager to begin.

"Hmph," Gladion muttered. "Looks like I'm at a bit of a disadvantage here."

"You can make the first move if you want," Ash offered.

"Fine. Rockruff, use Rock Throw!" Rockruff obeyed, and a white orb of energy appeared on its tail. It split into several parts which materialized into rocks which Rockruff then hurled at Rowlet at a blinding speed. Unable to react in time, Rowlet took the hit and wobbled about for a moment, dizzy from the impact.

"Rowlet!" Ash called, snapping him out of it. "Use Leafage!"

"Leafage," May mused as several glowing leaves emerged from its body. "They're using type-advantage! But that's a double-edged sword against Rockruff."

The leaves swirled around Rowlet a moment before launching at Rockruff. "Rock Throw!" Gladion called. "We need to ward off the damage!" Rockruff unleashed more rocks, which knocked some of the leaves away. Some of them still hit, sapping its strength, but not by much.

"Right!" Ash called suddenly. "Follow that up with Peck!"

"What?!" Gladion exclaimed as Rowlet shot forward, ramming into Rockruff with its glowing beak. Rockruff tumbled over and skidded to a halt, but it stood up again, ready for more. "We need to be more careful," he said to himself. "Rockruff, use Howl!"

Rockruff raised its head and let out a howl. Its eyes narrowed slightly, as though its fighting spirit had been vitalized.

"Rowlet, use Leafage!" Ash called.

"Rockruff, ward it off with Rock Throw!" Gladion commanded. The attacks collided once again with the same result as before, as Rockruff suffered some damage.

"Now follow it up with Peck!"

Rowlet shot forward once again, but Gladion showed no surprise this time. He stayed silent while Rockruff stayed put as Rowlet came towards it. "What is he doing?" May wondered. "Why doesn't Rockruff dodge?"

By this point, Rowlet was closing in. Seeing this, Gladion made his move. "Rockruff, counter it with Bite!" Rockruff obeyed, dodging Rowlet's attack and crunched down on its wing.

" _Keeeeee_!" Rowlet cried in pain.

"Don't give up, Rowlet!" Ash called. "Use Leafage!" Rowlet obeyed, releasing more leaves from its body and surrounding them both with them. Because of this, the leaves struck Rockruff with more power than usual, knocking it into the air before it tumbled onto its side. By this point, it was clear that the battle had taken its toll on the puppy. Gladion put his hand on its Pokeball, which was on his belt, ready to recall. However, Rockruff wasn't finished yet: it struggled to its feet and stared Rowlet down.

"Wow," May said softly. "Rockruff's not giving up!"

"Rock Throw again!" Gladion called. The attack struck Rowlet, who retaliated with another Leafage, which Rockruff deflected once again with Rock Throw. Despite this, the damage was starting to get to it, as its legs were wobbling.

"Let's finish this, Rowlet!" Ash called. "Use Peck!"

As Rowlet flew in for the K.O., Gladion clenched his fist. "Rockruff, Rock Throw one more time!" Rockruff obeyed, causing several rocks to form around it. The rocks converged just as Rowlet flew in. The collision between the two caused a small explosion of dust, obscuring everything so that no one could see for a moment. When it cleared, Rockruff laid on its side, unconscious. Rowlet stood a short distance away, but it was clear that it was getting tired.

"Looks like Rowlet was able to claim victory!" May cheered. "Way to go, Ash!"

"Awesome job, Rowlet!" Ash cheered as well.

" _Pi-Pikachu_!" Pikachu agreed.

" _Koo_!"

Gladion sighed and took out Rockruff's Pokeball. "Good work, Rockruff," he said, recalling it. "Get some rest. You'll need it for later." He put Rockruff's ball away and pulled out another ball. "Time to show our full strength. Let's go, Null!" He threw the ball and released his signature Pokemon. It rumbled in a low voice as it looked around before fixing its gaze on Rowlet. In response, the little Pokemon quivered and took a step back, clearly frightened.

"Don't be afraid, Rowlet," Ash encouraged it. "Null may look different, but it's still a Pokemon; you can beat it!" This roused Rowlet's spirits, and it planted itself, ready for battle.

"Your move, Ash," Gladion said.

"Huh?" Ash blinked, confused. "But your Pokemon got knocked out last."

"Well, I defer to you."

May blinked, equally confused. "What's he getting at?" she wondered to herself.

"Rowlet, use Leafage!" Ash commanded. In response, Rowlet expelled several leaves from itself. They swirled around it before shooting for Null. On striking, Null groaned in pain, prompting Gladion's eyes to widen.

"That did more than I thought," he mused. "That's right! Rowlet's taken a lot of damage, so its ability Overgrow is active. I need to finish it off right now. Null! Use Aerial Ace!"

"What?!" Ash and May cried at the same time. Null rose up, claw glowing, and slashed right through Rowlet, sending the little Pokemon flying through the air. It landed on its side, its eyes turned to swirls; it was knocked out.

"Looks like Gladion was just toying with him," May mused. "Or maybe he miscalculated. He did seem surprised when Rowlet's Leafage hit."

"Rowlet, return," Ash said, recalling his Pokemon. "Great job, little buddy. Take a nice long rest." He put his ball away and turned to Pikachu. "Ready to settle the score, Pikachu?"

" _Pika_!" Pikachu nodded, clenching its paw.

"All right," Ash grinned. "Pikachu, I choose you!" Pikachu leapt onto the battlefield, ready to fight. "Open this up with Thunderbolt!" Pikachu leapt into the air and unleashed his signature move. Null tried to move out of the way, but its helmet prevented it from doing so, and it took the attack.

"Saw that one coming," Gladion muttered. "Null, use Pursuit!" In response, Null's eyes briefly flashed. A dark wall materialized behind Pikachu, preventing him from escape. Pikachu looked surprised and unnerved as Null leapt at him, its claw glowing darkly as it struck him.

"That looked unpleasant," May mumbled.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt again!" Ash called. Pikachu unleashed his attack once again, striking dead-on. When the dust cleared from the attack, Null hadn't moved. "Now, Iron Tail!" Pikachu ran forward and jumped up, tail glowing like metal as it moved to strike Null in the face.

"Now!" Gladion commanded. "Aerial Ace!" Null rose onto its hind legs as its claw glowed white, and it slammed Pikachu with it, knocking him across the ground.

Ash clenched his fists at this. "Gladion isn't playing around," he muttered. "I gotta be more careful. Pikachu, use Electro Ball!" Pikachu obeyed, jumping up and firing a ball of electricity from his tail. This struck Null, who didn't move again. Moreover, Gladion wasn't giving any commands. "Why isn't he doing anything?" Ash wondered. Then his eyes widened as he remembered their last battle. "He must be trying to activate Rage again! We gotta be careful with our strategy. Pikachu, use Quick Attack! But make sure you run away after each one!"

Pikachu did this, employing a bit of a hit-and-run strategy as it rammed into Null and then took off again. It didn't do as much damage as usual, but it prevented Null from catching the little guy. He did this several times, and Null looked like it was getting tired. "All right, Pikachu. One more hit-and-run!"

Pikachu ran forward, ready to hit Null and run like he had before. But right as he was about to strike, Gladion made his move. "Imprison!" he commanded. Null's eyes flashed once again, and Pikachu suddenly found himself trapped in an energy field.

"What?!" Ash cried.

"Now to end this!" Gladion declared. "Crush Claw!" Null rose onto its hind legs once again, its claw glowing a bright blue.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash cried in desperation. Pikachu did this, unleashing a powerful electric attack right as Null's claw came down on top of him. The Thunderbolt merged with the Imprison attack and did massive damage to Null, who was in direct contact. Another small explosion of dust ensued, obscuring the Pokemon from sight. Ash and Gladion covered their eyes, as did May. Eventually, the dust cleared, revealing a dismal sight.

Pikachu was laying on his stomach, exhausted from the battle. Null was exhausted as well, as could be heard from its heavy breathing inside its helmet. Pikachu pushed up, trying to stand on his feet, but the battle had worn him out. He collapsed and fainted.

"Oh no!" May cried as she watched the little Pokemon faint.

"Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed, rushing over to his buddy. "Are you okay?"

" _Pi...ka…_ " Pikachu moaned. Ash cradled him in his arms with a frown.

"You did a great job, buddy," he smiled softly. "Thanks."

"Good work, Null," Gladion said, recalling his Pokemon. "Rest up for the next one." He put his Pokeball away and sighed. "Still not strong enough," he said quietly so the other two couldn't hear. He then came over to Ash. "Is Pikachu all right?"

"Yeah," Ash nodded. "He's just tired from the battle. Nothing a little rest can't help."

"I thought so," Gladion nodded, looking Ash in the eye. "Seems I was right about you two. You and Pikachu are strong; I'm gonna have to work harder to keep up with you."

"Huh?" Ash and May blinked in surprise. "But...you won the battle," Ash reminded him.

"Yeah, but Null hasn't been using its full strength," Gladion replied, looking down at Null's ball. "I've been trying to help it unlock its full potential." He looked up. "That's why I've been looking for powerful opponents: I believe the way to unlock Null's power is to make it stronger through training and battle." He looked back at the ball. "And yet...after all this time...I still haven't been able to bring out its true strength."

"What exactly is this power you're trying to unlock?" May asked.

"That's my business," Gladion replied, putting the ball away.

"Really," she replied skeptically. "That sounds kinda suspicious. This power of Null's won't be used to bring destruction, will it?"

"Of course not," he snapped back. "What do you think I am, destruction in human form? If I'd wanted to destroy something, I could have easily done it weeks ago." He huffed in irritation.

"That's what they all say," May muttered.

"Well, I believe you," Ash said. Gladion looked up in surprise.

"What?" he said.

"I said I believe you," Ash repeated. "You're not as bad as you look, Gladion. That much is obvious from the way you took in Rockruff."

Gladion blinked, still surprised. "Right," he said uncertainly. After a moment, he regained his composure, folding his arms. "Is it just a habit of yours to believe in people?"

"Sure is," Ash grinned.

"I see," he muttered, looking up at him. "It's no wonder my sister's taken a liking to you two."

"What?!" May blinked.

" _Pi_?"

"Sister?" Ash blinked. "Who –"

"Gladion!"

The three of them turned and saw a familiar face running up to them. "Lillie?" May blinked. Then it hit her. "Wait!...You don't mean –?!"

Lillie came up to them, seemingly out of breath. "Oh, I'm so glad I found you," she said. "I thought you'd left already without saying goodbye."

"Well that _was_ my plan," Gladion mumbled.

Lillie looked back up at him. "Why?" she asked. "Why do you have to leave so suddenly like that? Don't you wanna spend a little more time together?"

"Of course I do," he replied. "But I can't. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes, but," Lillie said, "can't you at least just come and say goodbye?"

Gladion sighed somberly. "Lillie," he said, "don't rely on me. I know you miss having me around, and believe me, I miss having you around, too. But I can't be there for you the way I used to. I have a battle to fight, and I have to fight it alone." He looked up at her. "Maybe one day, when this battle is finished, we can start again. Until then, take care of yourself." With that, he turned and started to walk away.

"But," Lillie stammered, "what am I supposed to do?! Who can I rely on when I need someone to be there for me?!"

Gladion stopped in his tracks and looked back a moment. "You have Ash and May," he said. "They can take better care of you than I can right now." With that, he started walking again.

"But they're just friends I met!" she cried. "You're my brother!" Gladion stopped in his tracks again, but he didn't turn back. "I've missed you for so long. Why do you have to leave again?!"

For a moment, Gladion just stood there, silent. Not a sound could be heard throughout the clearing. Finally, he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"Goodbye...Lillie."

With that, he walked away. Lillie watched him go, her balled fist shaking at her side. Her eyes glimmered, but she stopped them from shedding tears like she'd been taught to. Then she turned and ran back the way she came, not bothering to acknowledge anyone.

"Oh brother," Ash said softly, astonished.

"Well, every family has their problems," May sighed.

" _Pika_."

* * *

Gladion settled down in a dense part of the forest. He had a heavy frown on his face as he sat down on a stump. He pulled out his Pokeballs and released his Pokemon. Null was still recovering from the battle; it looked restless, as it started to pace. Rockruff laid itself down, looking up at its trainer curiously.

"Ash's Pokemon are tough," Gladion said to them. "We may have defeated him today, but he was hardly a pushover. And he's only going to get stronger by taking on the Island Challenge." He looked up at Null. "If we want to stand a chance against him, we need to get stronger as well. We have to train harder and find powerful opponents who will challenge us to grow stronger."

At this, Null nodded its assent, rumbling slightly in affirmation. Rockruff barked happily at this and nuzzled his leg with its head. Gladion smiled slightly and bent down to stroke Rockruff's head. He then gave his Pokemon some food. As they ate, he reflected on the battle he just took part in and chuckled slightly to himself.

"Funny," he mused, "I've been searching for a powerful opponent for two years...and yet this is the first time I've met someone who actually inspires me to get stronger." He then thought about what Ash said to him before he left:

 _I believe you_.

He looked down so that his eyes were hidden from view. Null came up to him and leaned down so they were on eye level. He rumbled curiously, and Gladion looked up.

"It's nothing," he said. "They asked about your power, and I explained it to them a little. Ash said he believed me." Null cocked its head, puzzled. "Yeah, I know. Doesn't seem like much, but…" he trailed off. Null rumbled at him, as though to ask him to go on. When Rockruff barked from below, apparently wanting to know more, he conceded with a sigh:

"It's just...that's the first time anyone's ever said something like that to me."


	36. Chapter 4-1: Of Stuff and a Legacy

**What's this? Can it be-?! It is! An update!**

 **I decided to post this today to coincide with the debut of the Sun and Moon series' second dubbed season, Ultra Adventures!**

 **I have a bit to say, but I'll hold off for now since it's been months since a proper update. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 4-1: Of Stuff and a Legacy

 _It was the middle of the night, but she hadn't slept a wink. She was constantly in pain, as her stomach begged her for something...anything. But as much as she wanted to give it something, she knew she couldn't. She had tried that once, and the results had been_ very _ugly._

" _Oh," she moaned as her stomach rumbled sadly once again. She sat up and hugged herself, trembling. "What am I going to do? I'm so hungry I can't even sleep."_

 _No sooner had she moaned when she heard a sudden knock at her door, causing her to jump. "Mother?!" she quietly shrieked, swiftly hiding herself under the covers. She shivered fearfully as sweat formed on her face. If her mother found out that she was awake, there would be dire consequences. Her breathing became shrill and high-pitched from her fear._

" _Shhh. It's okay, it's me."_

 _She recognized that voice. She looked up from under the covers and saw her brother standing a short distance away. "What?" she whispered. "But...what are you doing in my room? If Mother knew –"_

" _Don't worry," he interrupted her, holding up a small loaf of bread. "You're hungry, right? Here, eat up."_

" _What?!" she exclaimed, still whispering. "Where did you get that?"_

" _It's the one Mother gave me for dinner," he said. "I sneaked it away for you."_

" _Y-You did?" she said softly. "But does that mean you didn't eat?"_

" _I'll be fine," he said, handing her the bread. "As long as you're happy, I'm happy." She was hesitant at first, but she took the bread. As she started munching on it, her brother walked away. "There's gonna be milk in tomorrow's dinner. I'll make sure to bring you some. Just don't get caught, okay?"_

" _Thrank ryu so maf!"_

 _He stopped, confused, and turned to see her face was stuffed. "What was that?"_

 _She quickly chewed her bite, swallowed, and repeated herself. "I said, thank you so much!"_

 _He smiled at her, snickering softly, then walked out. Since then, he brought her small portions of his meal each night so that she could sleep with a full stomach. Thanks to this, she was much happier than before. But as time went on, she started to wonder...didn't he get hungry? It was his food that he was giving her every night. Did he have enough to eat?_

 _She hoped he was okay._

* * *

Lillie abruptly burst into the Pokemon Center, startling Nurse Joy. "My word!" the nurse exclaimed as Lillie stood there, hands on her knees and breathing heavily.

"Oh!" she exclaimed when she realized what had happened. "I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention."

"It's quite all right," Nurse Joy assured her. "Are you okay? Do you have any Pokemon in need of urgent care?"

"Huh? Oh! No," Lillie shook her head, fiddling with her bag. "I'm not a trainer, I was just –" She stopped abruptly when she realized her bag was empty. "Oh no. No, not again! Nebby!"

"Nebby?" the nurse repeated.

"Yes," Lillie said frantically. "He's a little mischievous Pokemon I keep in my bag to keep him safe. He must've gotten out while I was running back here. I have to go find him!"

"No worries. We've got ya covered."

She whipped around and saw Ash and May behind her, the latter holding Nebby in her arms. " _Pew_!" Nebby giggled.

"Oh," Lillie moaned. "Why must you cause me so much trouble? Back in the bag, you." Nebby obliged, hopping out of May's arms and into the bag. Lillie then looked up at her friends. "Thank you so much once again."

"No problem," Ash grinned. "Helping other people's what we're all about."

" _Pika-pika_!" Pikachu agreed.

"Oh," Lillie moaned again, looking down in embarrassment. "I must be the biggest nuisance in Alola. Because I can't take care of one little Pokemon, you guys have to keep going out of your way to get him. Ugh...I feel terrible."

"Lillie, it's really not a big deal," May replied, taking her to the side and trying to cheer her up while Ash took his Pokemon to Nurse Joy. "I know you're trying to keep Nebby safe, and we're happy to help. I mean, what are friends for?" Lillie looked up in surprise at this. "Honestly...if you ever need anything from us, just say the word."

As Lillie was processing this, Ash called May over for something. The two began talking, but Lillie couldn't hear what they said. She sat down on the center's couch, thinking about what May had said to her. _Does it really not bother them?_ she wondered. _How can they be so...kind?_

"Hey Lillie!" May called. She looked up and, seeing May was beckoning her over, stood up and walked over to them. "We were just thinking about getting some dinner. You wanna join us?"

"Um," Lillie stammered. "I, uh…I don't know."

"Whataya mean?" Ash said. "Aren't you hungry? It's about seven o'clock now, and we haven't had anything to eat since lunch."

"Ah...well…"

"Is it Gladion?" May asked softly.

"Oh!" Lillie jumped at the mention of her brother's name. "Ah...no. It's just…"

Seeing her reluctance, Ash decided to take matters into his own hands and put a hand on her shoulder. "Come on," he said warmly. "If you're not hungry, then you don't have to eat. We can just hang out."

Lillie blinked in confusion. "W-Well...okay, I guess."

"Cool!" Ash grinned. "All right...hey, Nurse Joy! You got anything for us to eat?"

Nurse Joy came out with a smile. "Certainly!" she said. "I have some sandwiches if you want some."

"Perfect!" Ash grinned. With that, Nurse Joy went back, rummaged through a fridge, and pulled out several food items.

"Here you go," she said. "Enjoy!"

"Thanks a bunch!" Ash grinned, taking the items and leading his friends to a table to sit down at. When he handed one to Lillie, she blinked in confusion. The food was round and a little rough. It was mostly colored white, and appeared to consist mostly of white grains molded together.

"Um...these don't look like sandwiches," she said.

"What are you talking about?" May asked, her mouth full of food. "They're totally sandwiches! Why would you think otherwise?"

"Well, uh...I don't know...it just looks more like a –"

"No, don't say it!" Ash cried, covering her mouth with his hand. Lillie blinked in confusion.

"What?" she asked, her voice muffled by his hand. "What's wrong with saying...er, that?"

"Uh," Ash muttered, looking up at the ceiling as though looking for an answer. "To be honest, I don't know. Just...don't say it, okay?"

Lillie shrugged at this and awkwardly took a bite of her...um..."sandwich." It was dry in her mouth, the flavor rather bland. But the rougher texture which she had never tasted before caused her eyes to widen. She chewed rapidly and swallowed. "What is this made of?" she asked in amazement.

"Beats me," Ash shrugged. "Not a lot to it, really. Just a dry old...um...sandwich."

"I'll say," May agreed, looking at her sandwich with mild disdain. "It's good enough to fill you up, but it's pretty bland. We probably should've gotten something with a different flavor."

"What are you talking about?" Lillie said, her eyes wide as she held up her sandwich. "This is so good! I've never eaten a sandwich like this!" She took another bite and chewed, savoring every crunch in her mouth.

Ash and May looked at their friend in astonishment. "Wow," May mused. Then an idea struck her. "Lillie, can I ask you something?"

"Hrm?" Lillie asked, her mouth full of sandwich. "Whut ith it?"

Ash tried to suppress a chuckle, but he couldn't stop himself from laughing a little. May glared at him. "Sorry," he said as he stopped. "I just thought that was funny."

Lillie swallowed her food, slightly surprised herself. "My word," she muttered. "It's been a long time since I did that."

"Right," May muttered. "Anyways, as I was saying...where exactly did you grow up, Lillie?"  
"Hm?" Lillie blinked. "Oh! Um...I, uh…"

"Were you sheltered?" May went on. "Were you isolated? Come on, where are you from?"  
"I…" Lillie stammered, tensing up.

"Hey, hold it," Ash said, stepping forward. "You shouldn't pry for personal information like that, May."

" _Pika pika_ ," Pikachu agreed.

May stood there a moment, then huffed and sat down. Ash turned to Lillie. "Sorry about that," he said. "If you're not comfortable sharing your life story with us –"

"I-I'm sorry," Lillie said. "It's a long story, and I don't think I'm ready to share it."

"I understand," Ash nodded.

"I don't," May muttered, annoyed.

Ash and Lillie looked at her, puzzled. "What do you mean?" Lillie asked.

"It's just...we've been friends for a while now," May replied. "I figured you wouldn't mind sharing your life story with us."

"Oh," Lillie said. "I…"

"Enough," Ash said, standing between them. "If you don't want to share with us, then you don't have to."

"But...will I have to share with you eventually?"

Ash blinked in confusion. "Uh...of course not," he said. "Why do you ask?"

"Well," Lillie said, folding her hands in front of herself with a sheepish blush, "the way May's been asking about it, you make it sound like sharing my life story is part of the process of being friends."

Ash and May blinked in confusion. May stifled a chuckle or two before bursting into laughter. Then it was Lillie's turn to blink in confusion.

"What? What did I say?"

"Uhhhhh," was all Ash could muster as he watched his girlfriend laugh hysterically.

"Oh," Lillie moaned with a frown. "I said something wrong, didn't I?"

"What? No!" Ash said. "You just –"

"I'm sorry!" Lillie cried, turning and running down the hall.

"And there she goes," he grumbled, watching her go before turning back to his girlfriend. By now, she was calming down. "Way to go, princess. Was that really called for?"

"Huh?" May said, wiping her eyes. "What did I do?"

"You just completely embarrassed Lillie!" he replied.

"I – what?"

"She thought she said something wrong because of how hard you were laughing at her," Ash explained.

"You mean she –" May started to say before she fully realized what happened. "Oh...but, I didn't mean to – augh! Lillie!" She started running down the hall before Ash grabbed her arm to stop her. "Ash, let me go! I'm trying to apologize to her!"

"I think you should wait," Ash said. "Let her take some time to cool off. Then you can talk to her."

May's face fell when he said this. "Yeah, I guess you're right," she sighed as he let her arm go. She walked away and headed out of the Pokemon Center.

Ash watched her go and sighed. " _Pika_ ," Pikachu mumbled, looking on sadly.

"Hm?" Ash blinked, looking over at his buddy. "What is it, Pikachu?"

" _Pika pikachu_ ," Pikachu replied.

"What?" he said. "You think I should go talk to her?"

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu nodded with a smile.

Ash blinked, confused, but then smiled and scratched him behind the ears. "All right, little buddy," he said. "Maybe I can get a better understanding of what's going on around here."

" _Pika_!" Pikachu nodded as he hopped off Ash's shoulder and scampered off. With that, Ash turned towards where Lillie disappeared to.

"Of course, that's assuming she'll even want to talk in the first place," he mumbled to himself. With that, he walked down the hall and looked at each of the doors. They were all shut. "Uh-oh," he muttered. "Which one is hers?" No sooner had he asked this than he heard a thud and a breaking of glass in one of the rooms, followed by an exasperated plea for someone to "get in the bag."

"Bingo," he smirked to himself. He walked over to the door the sound came from and knocked softly.

* * *

May sat on the outskirts of Iki Town, a firm frown on her face. She looked up at the dusk sky as the stars began to peek out. "Did I really embarrass Lillie?" she asked herself sadly. "Did I make her feel uncomfortable?" She shifted in her seat. When she did so, something triggered in her bag, and one of her Pokeballs opened, startling her as it released its Pokemon.

" _Io_?"

"Popplio?" May blinked. The sea lion Pokemon smiled and scuttled up to her, raising her fins up. May giggled. "You wanna sit in my lap?" Popplio nodded, so May picked her up and placed her in her lap. The little Pokemon then curled up, getting comfortable. As May stroked her head, her mind drifted back to what the kahuna had said about Popplio's past and the abuse she endured because others found her weird and ugly. "I don't know how anyone could ever treat such an adorable Pokemon so horribly. Can't they see how cute she is?" She looked up at the sky as it slowly became darker while the stars continued to appear. "Maybe they didn't mean to..."

And then it hit her.

* * *

Lillie looked up sharply on hearing the knock at her door. She quickly swept the mess Nebby had made under the dresser in her room, hoping no one would notice. "Who is it?" she asked.

"It's me, Ash," came the reply. "Could I come in?"

"Ah, y-yes," Lillie replied, walking over and unlocking the door. She opened it and let the trainer in, closing it quickly so Nebby couldn't get out.

"What happened in here?" he asked.

"N-Nothing!" she replied, clearly unsettled. "Why would you think something happened?"

"I heard something crash and break," he said, looking for broken glass around the wall the dresser was against. "Was it Nebby?"

"No!" she said, almost frantic. "Nothing happened! Everything is –"

"You swept the mess under the dresser, didn't you?"

Lillie tried to protest, but she was so shocked by Ash's blunt observation that her words got stuck in her mouth. She tried to say something, but she couldn't find any words. Eventually, she gave up with a defeated sigh. "How did you know?" she asked in shame as she sat on her bed.

Ash looked under the dresser and saw several pieces of glass down there. "Experience," he said with a chuckle as he stood back up and looked back at her. "When I was a kid, I was quite the prankster. I played a lot of practical jokes on my mom and caused her a lot of trouble."

"Oh?"

"Once, while she was at work, I accidentally broke a precious vase of hers. Even though I didn't mean to break it, I was scared; I knew she loved that vase. So I tried to hide it underneath one of the desks in our house, hoping she wouldn't notice."

"Did she?"

"Of course she did," he laughed. "I tried so hard to distract her from it, but it didn't take long for her to find out. When she did, I burst into tears and told her what happened."

"You remember all that?"

"Well, not all of it," he admitted. "Mom tells me that story every now and then for fun and embarrassment. What I do remember is that I kept saying 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry,' as I cried."

"And how were you punished?"

"Actually, I wasn't."

"What?!"

"Mom saw how terrible I felt about breaking the vase, and instead of punishing me, she just hugged me, letting me know that she forgave me and that I wasn't in trouble."

"You mean she didn't scold you or anything?"

"Aside from telling me that I should be more careful, no." He sighed wistfully. "She was always careful about that."

Lillie listened to this, then sighed sadly. "My mother wasn't like that."

"Hm?" Ash looked up, intrigued.

"She wasn't forgiving like that. If Gladion or I ever did something wrong, we'd be punished. We were always expected to be on our best behavior."

"Oh yeah?" he said softly. "Was it bad?"

"Only as bad as we made it."

"Sounds like she could loosen up a little."

"Yeah," was all Lillie could say in response.

"Is that why you were so panicked about that thing Nebby broke?"

"Yeah. It was a gut reaction. I guess I should know better than to worry about what _you_ think."

"Yeah," Ash said as he sat on his heels in front of her so they were on eye level. "Listen, Lillie. May didn't mean to embarrass you. She just thought what you said was funny."

"Oh" she sighed. "That's not what I meant," she went on, lowering her arms. "It's just...I've never really had friends like you two: so kind and helpful and asking for nothing in return. But even though I do trust you two, I..." She trailed off. Ash sat there, expectantly waiting for her to finish. "I..." she started again, her face falling, "I just don't think I'm ready to tell you two about where I come from. It's nothing personal; it's just me."

Ash listened to her, then nodded. "It's okay, Lillie," he smiled. "We all have secrets we don't want to share, no matter who we're close to. Just remember: if there ever comes a time when you need to talk to someone about something important, we'll be right here."

Lillie looked up at him, eyes glimmering. "You will?"

"Of course," he replied, his smile unwavering. "What are friends for?"

Touched by his words, Lillie's face lit up into a smile of her own. She promptly stood up and hugged Ash tightly, burying her face in his chest. He just kept smiling as he hugged her back. "Thank you," she whispered. "You have no idea how much that means to me."

"You're welcome," he whispered back.

* * *

By now, the sky was covered in stars. May smiled brightly at the sight. "It's so beautiful."

" _Io_ ," Popplio whispered.

" _Pika pika_ ," Pikachu whispered likewise.

May turned in surprise. "Pikachu?" she blinked. "When did you get here?"

" _Pikachu_ ," Pikachu replied with a shrug.

"Why aren't you with Ash?" she asked. Pikachu pointed to the far side of the Pokemon Center, causing May's eyes to light up. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "I get it. He went to talk to Lillie." She looked up at the sky again. "I guess it's better that he talk to her first before I apologize," she sighed.

Pikachu smiled and patted her arm, giving her a warm smile. She smiled bright and scooped him up into a hug. " _Chaaaaa_ ," Pikachu squealed in delight and snuggled into her.

"Whoa, Pikachu!" May giggled, her eyes closed as she snuggled with him. "I know you like me a lot, but do you think you could tone down the electricity?"

At that, Pikachu's eyes shot open. He hadn't been giving off any electric energy! He looked around and saw that their surroundings had turned into an electric terrain.

" _Pika_!" he exclaimed, leaping out of her lap and startling her.

"Pikachu!" she said. "What are you – what?!"

" _Pika pika_ ," Pikachu mused, looking around in curiosity.

"What's going on?" May wondered. "This isn't Team Rocket, is it? I don't think they're even capable of something this bizarre."

 _Co_

May's eyes shot up, and she looked around wildly for the source of the sound. "Hello?" she called. "Is someone there?"

" _Pika_!" Pikachu called likewise.

 _Co_

May tensed up, reaching for a Pokeball on her belt. "Who's making that noise? This isn't funny!"

 _COME_

She froze. "Come?" she repeated. "But...what does –"

" _Bwark_!" Popplio cried, pointing up with her fin. May looked up.

And there it was.

"Tapu Koko!"


	37. Chapter 4-2: A Destined Faceoff

Chapter 4-2: A Destined Faceoff

A light outside the Pokemon Center's room startled Lillie and Ash. "What is that?" Lillie wondered.

"Looks a bit strange," Ash noted. "Let's check it out." He turned and started out the door.

"Wait!" Lillie called, "It could be dange–" Before she could finish, she noticed Ash was already gone. "Oh," she sighed.

* * *

The guardian deity of Melemele Island slowly descended to meet May and the two Pokemon. It had its eye on Pikachu in particular.

"What is it?" May asked. "Is something wrong?"

At this, the door to the Pokemon Center burst open as Ash rushed out to see what was happening. "What's going on out here?" he asked, rushing up to May.

"It's Tapu Koko!" she exclaimed. Ash looked up and saw the deity looking at him with a keen gaze.

"Tapu Koko?" Ash blinked as Pikachu hopped on his shoulder. At this point, Lillie emerged from the Pokemon Center and saw what was happening. Tapu Koko then pointed at him, gesturing to him to come, before suddenly flying past him. Ash's head suddenly felt bare.

"Hey!" he shouted. "My hat!" No sooner had he realized what happened than Tapu Koko appeared, holding his hat and seemingly taunting him. "Get back here with that!" He ran after Tapu Koko, who flew away to who-knows-where. May swiftly followed, while Lillie followed at a distance before taking a detour.

"The professor will want to see this!" she whispered excitedly as she ran towards the small beach where Kukui's lab was.

* * *

Ash eventually caught up with Tapu Koko at Ten Carat Hill. There, Tapu Koko finally stopped and dropped Ash's hat. "What was that for?" he asked in annoyance, dusting off his hat before placing it back on his head. Tapu Koko, unfazed, pointed at Ash once again, making a gesture as though beckoning him to battle.

"Wait," May said, "you want Ash to battle you?!"

The deity nodded. Ash blinked, confused for a moment, before grinning with excitement. "All right," he said. "If it's a battle you want, it's a battle you'll get. Pikachu and I will give you a battle you won't forget!"

" _Pika pika_!" Pikachu agreed, mirroring his trainer's determination. As they braced for battle, they failed to notice someone watching them from the shadows.

"Tapu Koko? Challenging an ordinary trainer? That's not a sight you see everyday. I guess training can wait."

* * *

"Professor!" Lillie cried, bursting into the lab.

Kukui's eyes shot up, alarmed by her suddenness. "What is it?" he asked. "Is something wrong?"

"It's Tapu Koko!" Lillie exclaimed. "It's up to something, and it has to do with Ash!"

"Ash?" Kukui exclaimed in surprise. Then he grinned in excitement. "Woo! Sounds like something exciting. Come on, Rockruff! Let's go check this out!"

" _Ruff ruff_!" Rockruff barked excitedly. With that, they ran out, Lillie pointing them in the direction Tapu Koko went. Not far behind them, Hala ran as fast as his short legs could carry him.

"I hope nothing's the matter," the kahuna muttered. "What could have agitated Tapu Koko this time?"

* * *

"All right, Pikachu!" Ash called. "Start this out with Thunderbolt!"

" _Pika_!" Pikachu nodded, jumping up in the air and attacking with his signature move. " _Piiiikaaaaa...CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU_!" he screeched as powerful electric energy shot towards the guardian deity, engulfing it in electricity. Tapu Koko, however, was barely fazed and immediately surrounded itself in light energy before flying forward and ramming into Pikachu.

"Whoa!" Ash exclaimed. "It barely even flinched!"

"Well, it is an electric type, right?" May said.

Tapu Koko wasn't stopping, as it was already rushing in for a follow-up attack. "Oh, no you don't!" Ash shouted. "Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"

" _Chuuuuuuu...PiKA_!" Pikachu growled, slamming Tapu Koko with his hardened tail. Tapu Koko retreated back a little, shaking off the attack, though it was clear that it had struck it in the right place. Unseen by anyone, Lillie and Professor Kukui rushed up.

"Wow!" Kukui whispered. "It wanted to battle Ash?"

" _Ruff ruff_!" Rockruff barked excitedly.

"How strange," Lillie mused. "Why would a guardian deity want to battle Ash?"

"Must see something in him that we can't, yeah," Kukui suggested.

"Pikachu!" Ash commanded, "Follow up with Electro Ball!" Pikachu complied, jumping up and shooting a ball of electric energy at Tapu Koko. Tapu Koko, however, was ready for this and deflected the ball by surrounding itself in light energy. The ball bounced harmlessly off of the energy field while the guardian deity rushed in to attack once again. Pikachu, seeing it was using the same strategy as before, smacked it away again with Iron Tail. Tapu Koko reeled back once again, while Pikachu leapt into the air to deliver another Electro Ball attack. The ball of electricity shot straight at the guardian deity, but once again it deflected the ball with a field of light energy. But this time, the ball was headed for Pikachu!

"Pikachu! Deflect it back with Iron Tail!" Ash shouted. Pikachu did so, sending the Electro Ball hurling at a blinding speed. Tapu Koko's eyes widened and, unable to react in time, took the full force of the attack. Electric energy exploded as it fell to the ground, clearly damaged by the attack.

"What's going on here?"

Kukui and Lillie turned to see Hala standing behind them, along with Hau. "Tapu Koko challenged Ash to a battle," Lillie explained.

"Whoa! No way!" Hau exclaimed with excitement. "I wanna see this!"

"How interesting," Hala mused.

After a moment, Tapu Koko got back up, glaring at Pikachu with a fiery spark in its eyes. It rushed forward to attack again.

"Pikachu! Iron Tail!" Ash called. Pikachu obeyed, attempting to strike Tapu Koko with his attack. But Tapu Koko was ready this time and hid in its shell to prevent Pikachu from doing any major damage.

"Whoa!" Ash exclaimed. "It was ready for that one!"

"I think it's getting a little serious, Ash," May said nervously. As though to confirm her words, Tapu Koko slammed the ground with its fist. A pink shockwave spread from the spot it struck, knocking Pikachu into the air back towards Ash. When Pikachu landed, several multi-colored energy bolts surrounded Pikachu and damaged him.

"Nature's Madness!" Hala exclaimed.

Lillie looked at him in surprise. "Nature's Madness?" she repeated. "Isn't that the signature technique of the tapus?"

"Yes," Hala nodded. "They only use it when they get serious in battle."

"Pikachu, get up!" Ash called, as his Pokemon was laying on his stomach, weakened by the damage. Pikachu struggled to stand on its feet, as he was still reeling from the damage he took. Before he could fully stand, Tapu Koko unleashed a wave of electric energy, knocking Pikachu back even further.

"This isn't good," May said, even more nervous now. "You need to finish this quickly, Ash; Pikachu can't take much more!"

"I know," Ash nodded, adjusting his cap. "And I know just how to do it. Come on, Pikachu! Time to unleash our full power!"

" _Pika_!" Pikachu agreed. With that, the two of them crossed their hands in front of them, striking several synchronized poses that ended with their arms crossed to look like a lightning bolt.

"Now, Pikachu!" Ash called, "GIGAVOLT HAVOC!"

" _PIIIIIKAAAAAAA...CHUUUUUUUUU!_ " Pikachu screamed, condensing a massive amount of electric energy into a ball and launching it at the guardian deity. Tapu Koko's eyes widened before it covered itself with its shell, but even that couldn't save it. The Z-Move struck, launching the tapu into the air before it fell to the ground in a glorious explosion of energy. When the dust settled, the tapu was laying there, encased in its shell, while Pikachu and Ash stood, breathing heavily from the effort the attack required. After a moment, Tapu Koko peeked out of its shell before fully coming out of it and floating before Ash and Pikachu.

"You still want more?" Ash asked, still eager to battle. Tapu Koko, however, shook its head and looked at Ash with an approving gaze.

"Looks like the battle's off," May muttered.

"I see," Ash nodded. "You wanted to test our power, right? To see how strong we were?" Tapu Koko nodded solemnly. Ash then turned and saw his partner Pokemon standing, breathing heavily. "Pikachu!" he said, coming up to him and scooping him in his arms. "You okay, buddy?"

" _Pika_ ," Pikachu smiled, giving him a thumbs-up. Though he was tired from the battle, he wasn't defeated.

At that moment, a sudden streak of light flew through the air. Before anyone knew what was happening, Tapu Koko suddenly found itself in an energy cage!

"What?!" Hala exclaimed.

"Hey!" Ash shouted. "What's going on?!"

"Did someone ask something? We're here to find out!"  
"Noble answers are what we're all about!"  
"The beauty so radiant, the flowers and moon hide in shame,  
"A single flower of evil in this fleeting world,  
"Jessie!"  
"The nobly heroic man of our times,  
"The master of darkness fighting back against a tragic world,  
"It's James!"  
"It's all for one, and one for all,  
"A glittering, dark star that always shines bright,  
"Dig it! While Meowth takes flight!"  
"Team Rocket, let's fight!"  
"That's right!"  
" _Woooooobbuffet_!"

The terrible trio stood over the cage they threw over Tapu Koko, proud of their work. "Team Rocket!" Ash cried.

"Don't you guys ever take a break?" May whined.

"Sorry, but our contract says no," Meowth replied.

"Besides, with the guardian deity of Alola under our control, we'll be unstoppable!" Jessie sneered.

Angered at their words, Tapu Koko sharpened its claws and rammed into the cage bars. The energy, however, shocked it and forced it to move back, grimacing in pain.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you," James chuckled. "This electro cage was designed specifically to repel any Pokemon attacks from the inside."

"And to ensure no twoips can do any damage, we've twoip-proofed the outside!" Meowth grinned.

" _Wooooobbuffet!_ "

"How dare you!"

All of them turned, startled, as Hala stepped forward, followed by the others who came to watch. "You dare to try and take the guardian deity of Melemele Island away like it's any other Pokemon?!" the kahuna shouted. "The insolence! The audacity! You...you must be either sacreligious or foolish to even think to do such a thing!"

"Put a lid on it, old man," Meowth snapped back.

"Now if you'll excuse us, we have a Pokemon to take to headquarters," Jessie grinned.

"Absolutely not!" Hala shouted, pulling out an Ultra Ball. "Crabrawler! Go, use Bubble Beam to stop them!" He threw the ball, releasing his signature Pokemon who immediately complied.

"Oh no you don't!" James shouted back, pulling out his own ball. "Mareanie! Block the attack with Spike Cannon!" He threw the ball, releasing his own Pokemon, who immediately complied, spinning in midair while shooting bright white darts at its opponent. The two attacks collided, the bubbles blasting through the spikes at first. But as they got closer to their target, Mareanie upped the ante, firing more darts so that the bubbles couldn't touch it.

"Popplio!" May called. "Use Water Gun to help Crabrawler!" She released her Alolan Pokemon, who immediately complied.

"Mimikyu!" Jessie called. "Use Wood Hammer to stop that ugly little clown!" She released her Pokemon, who immediately struck Popplio with a powerful attack. Popplio cried out in pain as she tumbled to the side.

"Popplio!" May cried.

"Now, finish it!" Jessie sneered. Mimikyu hovered over Popplio, getting ready to finish her off.

"NO!" May screamed, running in between them. Time seemed to slow down as Mimikyu unleashed its attack. It slammed right into May's gut, knocking her in the air. She landed hard on her side, grunting in pain.

"MAY!" Ash cried, rushing over to his girlfriend. He rolled her onto her back. Her eyes were shut tight in pain. "May, it's me! Are you okay?"

"Owwww," May moaned, opening her eyes slightly. "Save...Popplio…"

"Popplio," Ash repeated. He looked up and saw Mimikyu hovering over her menacingly. "Popplio!"

Just as Mimikyu was about to strike Popplio, something ran in between them and took the full force of the hit. It flew through the air and hit a tree before falling onto its side.

Kukui gasped. "Rockruff?!"

While Ash ran over to check on the injured Pokemon, Mimikyu wavered before collapsing in a heap.

"What?!" Jessie exclaimed. "What happened?!"

"Now's our chance!" Hau cheered. "Litten, use Ember to take out Mareanie and save Tapu Koko!" He released his starter Pokemon, who promptly obeyed. The Bubblebeam-Ember combination overcame Mareanie's Spike Cannon, and it was promptly knocked into the air. Hala and Hau's Pokemon then attacked the power source for the cage, easily disabling it.

"No!" Jessie growled.

"How could this happen?" James moaned.

"Uh-oh," Meowth whimpered as a very angry guardian deity hovered over them, electric energy crackling at its fingertips. "I THINK IT'S MAD!"

As if to confirm Meowth's fears, Tapu Koko slammed the ground with its fist. A massive shockwave knocked Team Rocket and their Pokemon into a heap. Before they could comprehend what was happening, several multi-colored bolts of energy assaulted them, creating a large explosion that sent them soaring into the night sky.

"Just when you think you have the perfect plan, you realize that it isn't foolproof!" Jessie grumbled angrily.

"We made our cage twerp-proof," James moaned. "What did we miss?"

"We forgot to make it kahuna-proof!" Meowth growled.

"Kahuna-proof?!" Jessie snapped back.

"How were we supposed to know that was part of the plan?!" James snapped as well.

"It _wasn't_ part of the plan!" Meowth retaliated. "I was saying that we shoulda _made_ it part of the plan!"

"Now he tells us," James mumbled.

"LOOKS LIKE TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAINNNNNNN!"

 _Ding._

"Good grief," Ash growled. "When will they ever learn?"

"I don't know," May shrugged, "but did you see the way Bubble Beam collided with Spike Cannon? There was a sparkly glint. It was kinda pretty, to be honest." She put her chin in her hand. "Maybe I could pull something like that off in a contest."

"Are you two all right?" Hala asked, coming up to them. Kukui, Hau, and Lillie followed shortly after.

"Yeah," Ash nodded. "I think we should be more worried about Tapu Koko right now."  
"Oh, Popplio," May whispered, cradling her injured Pokemon in her arms. "Are you all right?"

" _Io_ ," Popplio whimpered.

"Don't worry," she said. "We'll get you cleaned up once we get back to the condo." With that, she recalled her Pokemon.

"I believe we all have places to be right now," Hala agreed. "We shall speak about this more tomorrow." He turned to Ash. "I'm quite eager to learn just what happened tonight."

"I'm a little curious myself," Lillie agreed. "It's not everyday I see Tapu Koko personally challenge a trainer."

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "I wonder what it wanted."

 _Come_

Everyone froze. Ash, knowing where that sound was coming from, turned to see Tapu Koko hovering majestically in front of him. "What is it?" he asked.

Tapu Koko responded by holding out its hand. As everyone looked on, they all noticed something sparkling falling from the sky. It came closer and closer until it was right in front of Tapu Koko and Ash. Tapu Koko then lowered its hand while Ash looked on with wonder.

"Is this...for me?" he whispered, taking it in his hands.

Tapu Koko nodded and, without another word, shot into the sky and vanished.

"That's what Tapu Koko wanted?" May muttered. "To give you something shiny? This better be good."

"I don't know," Ash mused, turning to her. "Look at it. It looks like the stone it gave you...only it's...different somehow."

"Hm?!" Hala grunted, curious. "Let me see," he came forward and inspected the stone. "My word!" he exclaimed.

"Another sparkling stone, Kahuna?" Ash grinned.

Hala shook his head. "I've never seen a stone like this before. It's darker," he observed, taking it in his hands, "and this material...I've never made a Z-Ring out of something like this before!"

"Whoa," Hau breathed in awe. "Ash got a special stone?"

"But...he already has a Z-Ring," Lillie pointed out. "Why would Tapu Koko give him another one?"

"I don't know," Kukui grinned, "but considering how fickle our guardian is, seeing it take such a keen interest in a trainer like Ash is a strong sign!"

"Of what?" Lillie asked.

"I don't know, but it must mean something!"

"Hm," Ash mused. "Well, I guess we can figure that out in the morning." He yawned as he started for his condo. "Good night, everyone!" With that, everyone quickly left, leaving Ten Carat Hill as it was several hours before: quiet and undisturbed by any trainers.

Or so it seemed.

"The Ultra Aura readings are off the scale!"

"Yes. That battle must have involved quite a bit of it."

"But what could have produced such massive aura output? Not even we, with all our power, could hope to output that much!"

"I don't know, but that boy who produced these readings seems to be chosen by the very tapu itself. We must find him and learn his secrets if we are to acquire power like his."

"Yes. For only then will we be able to tame _the Blinding One_."


	38. Chapter 4-3: Time to Kahili

Chapter 4-3: Time to Kahili

The light streamed into May's room as the morning greeted her in its usual way. Her eyes grimaced before opening up to receive the light. As she blinked and adjusted, she looked around. Popplio was standing on her back-fins, earnestly shaking May to wake her up.

"Hm?" she blinked, smiling at her adorable Pokemon. "What is it?"

Popplio squeaked nervously, pointing to the door leading out. "Hm?" May blinked again. "You want to go out?" Popplio shook her head and pointed frantically at one of the Pokeballs sitting by May's bed. "Something wrong with Oricorio's Pokeball?" Popplio nodded, so May picked up the ball and tossed it to release her dancing Pokemon. A burst of light emerged, and promptly dissipated.

"Empty?!" May exclaimed, now fully awake. "Oh no. What happened?"

" _Io! Popplio!_ " Popplio barked, pointing to the front door.

"You saw her leave?" she asked. Popplio nodded. With that, May quickly dressed herself, placing the two flower petals Ash gave her in her hair before setting out with Popplio on her shoulder. "Where could she have gone?"

" _Io!_ " Popplio said, pointing towards the beach.

"She went that way?" May asked. When Popplio nodded again, she ran in that direction, unaware of another trainer watching her from a distance.

"Are they going to Ten Carat Hill?" she wondered. "Hm. I never caught any worthwhile Pokemon out there. I wonder what they're after."

* * *

"Any sign of her?" May asked.

" _Io. Popplio_ ," Popplio shook her head.

May sighed and took a moment to sit down by a rock. "It's hopeless," she moaned. "Oricorio could be anywhere right now!" She turned to her Pokemon. "Are you certain that she came this way?" Popplio nodded. "I wonder what it was that she wanted."

In an effort to figure out where her missing Pokemon went, May retraced her steps from the beginning of the day: Popplio waking her up early to find that her bird was missing, rushing out to find her, Popplio pointing towards Ten Carat Hill and claiming that she saw her go down there, and searching high and low for her Pokemon to no avail. As though to taunt her further, her stomach immediately rumbled.

"Great," she moaned. "Now I'm lost and hungry. Could things get any worse?"

"How did you get lost?"

She jumped in surprise at the sudden voice. "Huh?! Who's there?!"

"Relax," the feminine voice scoffed. "You're in no danger, so you have no need to be afraid."

May quickly regained her bearings and faced her companion, standing up with Popplio, who slid down behind her shoulder so that only her eyes and nose were visible. "Well, no. But - "

"And what is that thing on your shoulder?"

Before anyone could answer her question, a sudden chirping sound came from the end of the tunnel they were in. May gasped. "Oricorio!" She rushed down to find her Pokemon. Curious, her companion followed at a leisurely pace. She wore a light blue blouse with two buttons down the middle. Her hair was an even lighter hue of blue, and it was styled in a way that resembled the wings of a bird. She wore a visor with a similar coloring to her blouse. In contrast, her feet were adorned with light shoes accentuated by long, knee-high orange socks. She had a golf club in her hands, and a red Oricorio was perched on her shoulder.

Sure enough, May's Dancing Pokemon was at the end of the tunnel, standing beside a familiar pedestal. "There you are," she muttered, bending down to examine her. "What were you thinking, running off without saying anything? I was worried about you!"

"Your own Pokemon ran off without your knowing?" her companion scoffed. "Your training must have been ineffective."

Although annoyed, May ignored her companion's taunting. "Why did you run off?" she asked again.

" _Dori! Dori!_ " Oricorio replied, pointing at the pedestal. May looked up and gasped.

"Isn't this a Z-Crystal?" she wondered. She reached for it, but suddenly withdrew her hand. "No, I shouldn't. We'll probably get ambushed, and I'm not ready for a battle."

"If a free Z-Crystal's just sitting there, you have no reason to just leave it" her companion said. "Don't be dumb."

Once again, May ignored her companion's words. "Maybe we should come back later," she said. "Once we're ready to -"

" _Dori! Dori!_ " Oricorio chirped frantically, tugging on May's skirt and pointing at the crystal.

"I don't know," she said uncertainly. "There could be a Totem Pokemon hiding nearby. I don't want us to get ambushed."

"Just take the stupid crystal," her companion snapped. "There's no totem nearby."

At this, May finally turned and faced her companion, not bothering to hide her annoyance. "How would you know that?" she asked irritably.

"Simple: I took the crystal from there without thinking twice, unlike you, and walked away without a scratch. You've just wasted thirty seconds of your life deliberating whether or not you should take a Z-Crystal that's free for the taking."

"Okay, I get it!" May replied, still irritable. With that she turned and reached to take the crystal again. Once again, she hesitated, looking around to be absolutely sure her companion was correct. Finally, she grasped the Z-Crystal and closed her hand around it in a soft grip. She took it and held it in the palm of her hand. It was a light blue, with an icon resembling a pair of wings in its center. "Wow," she whispered, enamored by its beauty.

"It's a Flyinium Z," her companion explained. "With it, any Pokemon that knows a Flying-type move can upgrade that move to a Z-Move called Supersonic Skystrike. All you have to do is strike these poses in sync with your Pokemon." May turned and watched as her companion crossed her arms in front of her before raising her arms up and slowly bringing them down like a bird's wings. Then she bent down before jumping back up and thrusting her fist up into the air.

"I see," May nodded, looking down at the crystal again. "Supersonic Skystrike, huh? That's a cool name."

"Courtesy of yours truly."

May looked up in surprise. "You named that move?"

"No," she replied. "I just fixed it. It had a poor name before, so I gave it a new one. It just stuck with everyone else."

"Oh," May said. "I see." She then turned to Oricorio. "I get that you wanted to check out the Z-Crystal, but next time, you could at least invite us along."

" _Dori?_ " Oricorio blinked, cocking her head in confusion.

"Come on," May chuckled, recalling her Pokemon. "Let's get back to the condo. We've got a lot to do before we head off to Akala Island." With that, she started to walk off.

"You're not gonna get any closer to being Island Challenge Champion with those Pokemon of yours, you know."

She stopped dead in her tracks and slowly turned to face her companion. "What was that?" she asked, clearly incensed.

"Don't act like I just insulted you," her companion said, almost emotionless. "Your Pokemon are subpar. Oricorio doesn't trust you enough, and Popplio speaks for itself."

"Excuse me?!"

"If anything, I just did you a favor."

"Now wait just a minute!" May retaliated, now clearly angered. "My Pokemon are not weak. They're just inexperienced. We're going to work and play hard together to become champions!"

"If that's what you think, then prove it on the battlefield," her companion said, giving her nothing more than a sardonic chuckle before turning away. Angered, May turned and followed the path to the exit of the cave.

"Weak," she muttered to herself as she walked out. "Who is she calling weak? I'm not weak! And neither are my Pokemon! And I don't need to repeat that a dozen times just to make my point, either! We're going to get strong together. That's what being a trainer is all about, right?"

" _Zrrrrt! What are you talking about?_ "

"Ah!" May yelped, jumping on the spot. When she saw her much more welcome companion, she sighed in relief. "Oh. It's just you, Rotom Dex."

"There you are. Where'd you run off to?"

She turned and saw a friendly face coming up to her. "Oh, hi Ash," she said.

"We've been looking for you all morning," Ash said.

" _Pika pikachu,_ " Pikachu said likewise.

"Sorry," May said sheepishly. "Oricorio got out of her ball and wandered off, so we went to look for her."

"You could have left a note or something."

"Ah, well, I was kinda flustered, so that didn't cross my mind."

"It's all right," Ash smiled. "What's important is that you're safe. Now come on! Breakfast is just starting." The word 'breakfast' caused May to forget her frustration with her companion in Ten Carat Hill.

* * *

"Hey Lillie!" Professor Kukui said, calling up to his assistant, who was presently in her loft. "You got my boat ready, like I asked?"

"Yes, Professor!" Lillie called back. She then stuck her nose back into her book.

"All right then, woo!" he said. "You made sure to pack some extra clothes for me, yeah?"

"Do I really need to answer that?" Lillie replied, rolling her eyes. She continued to read, tuning out the professor's chuckling. "How fascinating."

" _Pew?_ "

She turned and saw Nebby sitting next to her. "It's a history of Z-Rings," she explained. "They've been an integral part of the Island Challenge for many years." She pointed to a picture in the book. "They're made by refining a sparkling stone, kinda like the one May got from Tapu Koko."

" _Pew?_ "

She flipped through the pages of the book, skimming it for more pictures. "Except I don't see any pictures of the kind of stone Ash got last night," she mused. "Why is that?" She looked at Nebby curiously as she closed her book. "I don't know how to describe this feeling, but...I can't help but feel like something amazing is about to happen, and Ash is going to be at the center of it."  
" _Pew!?_ " Nebby exclaimed, apparently surprised.

Lillie giggled at the Pokemon's response. "Oh, I'm probably just overthinking things." Nebby giggled with her, and they sat there a short while longer, reading and studying Alola's history. Lillie, for her part, was feeling content for the first time in a long time. She wasn't running away from anyone or hiding Nebby in a bag so people wouldn't try and steal it. She could just sit there and be at peace with the world; she didn't want this feeling to end.

But it had to, as a knock on the door signalled someone's arrival. As Kukui went to answer it, Lillie hurriedly put Nebby into her bag before coming down from her loft. "Kahuna!" Kukui exclaimed happily. "What brings you here?"

"I was looking for Ash," Hala explained. "I need to speak with him about that stone he got from Tapu Koko last night."

"What about?" Lillie asked curiously.

"It's very strange," Hala said. "Do you know where he is?"

"Probably at his house."

"I'm expecting him to be here any minute," Kukui said. "We're ready to set sail for Akala Island. Woo, yeah!"

Hala blinked in confusion. "Is he always like this?" he asked Lillie.

"Not usually," Lillie replied. "He just had a long winter, that's all." Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door. "That must be them."

"I got it," Kukui grinned. He opened to door, only to find someone unexpected standing there. "Whoa! Is this who I think it is?"

"Still stuck on the beach, Professor?"

Hala raised an eyebrow. "I recognize that voice," he mused.

"Who is it?" Lillie asked.

Kukui ushered their guest in, unknowingly leaving the door open. "This is Kahili," he said, introducing their guest. "She's an Island Challenge Champion from long ago. I met her when she first started, and look at her now!"

"If you really want to take pride in that, then get a real Pokemon lab," Kahili replied dryly. "You can't go on forever in this old shack."

"Old shack!" Lillie exclaimed.

Kahili looked down at her. "And you are?"

"Ah," she stammered, "I'm Lillie! It's, uh...nice to meet you." She bowed politely.

"What are you bowing for?" Kahili asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Oh," Lillie continued to stammer, "I just...that's kinda how I greet people, I guess."

"No it isn't," Kahili said, stopping her. "You shake their hand. You only bow when you're in the presence of your superior."

"Now, Kahili," Hala said, stepping forward. "Don't be so hard on Lillie. She's a good girl who has been no small help to the professor over the last three months."

"If the professor needs help, then he's clearly losing his touch," she replied. "As I said before, if he had a real lab, then he wouldn't have that sort of problem."

"Hey!"

Everyone turned, startled by the sudden voice coming from the open door. "Oh!" Lillie exclaimed. "Ash, it's you!"

"Hey, Lillie," Ash said, suddenly cordial. "Ready to go?"

" _Pika pika_?"

"I, uh...still have some things to prepare, but...yes, almost." She quickly scampered back up her loft to pack her things.

Seeing this, Ash turned his attention back to the others. "What was that for?" he asked Kahili, angered.

"What?" Kahili asked.

"Why were you insulting the professor just a minute ago?" he said, clarifying his question.

"Insulting?" she replied as though surprised. "It wasn't an insult. It was a legitimate criticism. I was informing the professor of what he does wrong and explaining what he should do to fix it."

"What's wrong with his lab now?" Ash asked. "It works just fine if you ask me."

"This isn't a lab," she replied again. "It's a shack. The professor can think otherwise if he wants, but that's his loss." Ash was about to retort when Kukui held up a hand to stop him.

"It's fine, Ash," he said. "I can handle it."

"Yes," Hala, standing to the side, nodded. "Besides, I think it's time we discussed something of greater urgency than the professor's lab." He stepped forward, holding the stone in his hands.

"Huh?" Ash blinked. "What's up?"

"I tried to refine this stone into something last night," the kahuna explained, "but I could do nothing."

"What?"

"What's the matter, old man?" Kahili mocked him without even flinching. "Losing your touch? If you can't forge a Z-Ring out of a sparkling stone, then what do you -"

"Quiet, you!" Hala abruptly snapped at her, briefly showing what he truly thought of Kukui's former pupil. He quickly regained his composure and turned back to Ash. "This stone is made out of a very different material than a Z-Ring. I've never worked with it before. You may want to go see Olivia on Akala Island."

"Olivia?" Ash said.

"Who's that?" May asked.

"Olivia is the Kahuna of Akala Island," Hala replied, handing it back to him. "Perhaps she can assist you in refining this stone."

"One kahuna can't do it, and neither can the others," Kahili said, rolling her eyes. "What makes that stone so special, anyway?"

"Tapu Koko gave it to me last night after our battle," Ash replied, showing distaste.

At this, Kahili's eyes widened. "That's right," she said, as though remembering. "The battle with Tapu Koko."

"You were there?" May asked, surprised.

"Yes. I was getting ready to start my night training routine, but then you all showed up. I decided to watch and see what happened. It was quite the fight." She turned to Ash in particular. "I may have misheard, but did the professor call you 'Ash?'"

"That's my name," Ash replied.

" _Pika pikachu_."

She folded her arms. "You're a lot smaller than I thought you'd be," she muttered. "No matter. I'd like to request a battle with you."

"What?" May blinked in surprise.

"Oh!" Ash exclaimed. "Ah...maybe another time. We're getting ready to head to Akala Island for the next phase of our adventure!"

" _Pikachu_!"

"You can't spare a minute or two to battle, hm?" Kahili said. She scoffed in disgust and turned to leave. "Fine. I'll see you Akala Island." As she walked out, she accidentally bumped into May.

"Ah!" May cried.

"Watch where you're standing," Kahili said to her. Though she didn't show it, it was clear that she was annoyed. "It's rude to stand in people's way like that."

"Excuse me!?" May exclaimed as she walked out. She followed her out as she continued. "I was standing there before you started walking out! You could have at least asked me to move!"

"If your intuition doesn't tell you to move when someone's walking your way, then it's poorly developed," she replied without looking back or missing a beat. "I guess that's to be expected of someone who only knows how to train subpar Pokemon."

May watched as Kahili walked away, fists balled at her sides and shaking with anger. Ash came up behind her. Although he was angered, he wasn't shaking with rage like May.

"Who the heck does she think she is?" he muttered.

"That's Kahili," Kukui explained as they walked back in. "She took on the Island Challenge a long time ago and became the Island Challenge Champion."

"Island Challenge Champion?" May repeated. "Is that why she thinks she can talk to everyone like that?"

"Not necessarily," Hala replied. "She's been like that for a long time, actually."  
"It's strange, yeah," Kukui muttered. "She always thinks she's helping people by dishing out criticism like that."

"Why would she think that?" May asked.

"Because she's pointing out flaws in people's work so they can fix it," the professor replied. "She's claimed before that it helps people get stronger."

"Hmph," Ash muttered. "I've never seen anyone get stronger from that kind of criticism." As Pikachu agreed, they heard a knock on the door. "If that's her again, I'll give her a wallop. How 'bout it, Pikachu?" Pikachu snickered as Kukui opened the door.

"A-loooooo-la!"

Ash and May grinned. "I'd recognize that voice anywhere," May giggled.

"Hey there, Hau!" Ash said. "What's up?"

"Ready for adventure, that's what's up!" Hau grinned. "So, are we ready to set sail for Akala?"

"You betcha!" Ash winked at him.

"Ah, yes!" Lillie said from above, coming down with a bag full of stuff. "Hang on! I'll be right down!" Once she was on the ground, she dusted off her dress. "Whew! Are we ready to go?"

"Yep!" May grinned.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Kukui grinned. "Let's go!"

"Have fun, kids!" Hala said.

With that, everyone set off for the Hau'oli City Marina, eager to begin the next phase of their journey in Alola.

* * *

 **The next two chapters are much shorter, in case these last three wore out their welcome.**


	39. Chapter 4-4: Piece of My Mind

Chapter 4-4: Piece of My Mind

"So," May said as they walked down the streets of Hau'oli City towards the marina, "once we get to Akala Island, what do we do next?"

"We'll find the kahuna, of course," Kukui replied with his unfaltering grin. "Once we find her, she'll guide us from there on, yeah."

"I've heard she's quite tough," Lillie said quietly. "Even by kahuna standards, she's a strong trainer."

"If that's the case," Ash grinned, "then I look forward to battling her!"

" _Pikachu_!" Pikachu agreed.

" _Zrrt! Zrrt! Red alert! Red alert!_ "

"Huh?" everyone said as Rotom Dex hopped out of Ash's backpack. "What's going on?" Ash asked.

"Is something wrong?" Lillie wondered.

" _Yep! Very wrong, zrrt! Your shopping list for the trip is only 98% complete!_ "

"Oh," Ash muttered, deadpanning. "That's all it is?"

" _Pika_ ," Pikachu mumbled.

"All right," he said. "Tell me what we missed."

" _Zrrt!_ " Rotom Dex turned to him. " _You need one pound of applezz for the trip._ "

"All right then," Ash said. "I'll go take care of this and meet you guys at the marina."

"Don't be too long, or we'll leave ya behind," Kukui joked.

"And don't get into any trouble!" May chuckled.

"Don't worry," Ash laughed with them. "I'll be back in a flash!" With that, he walked back the way they came to pick up the groceries.

"You really think he'll get in trouble?" Lillie asked.

"What?" May blinked. "No no, we were just joking around."

"Joking?" Lillie blinked. Then she started. "Oh, yes! Joking! It was funny!" she chuckled. May looked at Kukui in confusion. He just shrugged, chuckling slightly himself, while she looked down and shook her head.

* * *

"Hm, let's see here," Ash said, scanning the aisles of the store. "Aha! There's the fruits and vegetables section!"

" _Pika_!" Pikachu grinned.

They walked down, scanning the fruits until they found the apples. "Boy, with one pound of these, we'll never run out of apples again," he said, filling the bag. Once it was full, he pulled it up and went to check out, unaware that he was being followed. After he paid, he exited the store. "All right," he grinned. "Next stop: Akala Island!"

"A moment, young man."

"Huh?" Ash jumped, turning sharply. "Wha - oh, great. The costume brigade's in town."

His companion wore a strange jumpsuit with several gadgets on it. The suit was a pale white while the gadgets were a pale blue. He wore a similarly-colored helmet. A visor covered his eyes, leaving only the bottom half of his face visible. Ash noticed that it was almost as pale as his jumpsuit, causing him to tense up. In contrast to his attire, a thick strand of purple hair fell over his visor.

"Greetings," the man said, performing a robotic gesture that appeared to be an attempt at the Alolan greeting. "I am here on a mission, and I believe you can help me accomplish it."

"A mission?" Ash blinked, still tense. He and Pikachu exchanged uneasy glances. "What sort of mission?"

"That is classified," the man replied. "You were the one who battled the guardian deity last night, were you not?"

"Yeah," Ash nodded.

"Then you are the one in possession of the sparkling stone, are you not?"

"Yeah, but it's not much good. The kahuna can't work with it; it's a different material from any Z-Ring he's created."

The man's face lit up slightly. "Just as I suspected," he whispered. "It's one of the pieces!"

"Pieces?" Ash blinked. "Pieces of what?"

"Listen to me, boy," the man said urgently, moving closer to him, "you must give me the stone. I can help you unlock greater potential than you've seen yet."

"Hold it," Ash said, sharply backing away. "I'm not gonna hand off a special stone to someone I don't know. What would you do with the stone if I gave it to you?"

"We would do what the kahuna could not," the man said. "That stone is a key to great power. We can refine it into a Z-Ring even more powerful than the one you wear now."

"A more powerful Z-Ring?" Ash blinked. He put his chin in his hand, pondering this a moment.

"Yes," the man said. "Now please, give me the stone." He held his hand out.

Ash looked at this and backed away once again. "Sorry, maybe some other time."

"That is an answer I cannot accept," the man snapped back. "Give me the stone. I do not want this to become ugly."

"Neither do I," Ash retorted with just as much force. "Now, if you'll excuse me," he said, turning away to leave.

"No!" the man cried, reach forward and grasping Ash's arm. As Ash started to protest, Pikachu growled at the man menacingly, sparks bristling on his cheeks. The man froze a moment on seeing this, but after a moment he relaxed and let Ash go. "My apologies," he said, bowing slightly. "I am not accustomed to your ways. Do you intend to give me the stone?"

"After you just tried to take it by force?" Ash replied angrily. "Not a chance! Come on, Pikachu. Let's get outta here!"

" _Pika_!" Pikachu agreed, also angry, and they ran off, leaving the man behind.

"Blast it," he muttered. "This did not go in our favor." At that moment, one of the gadgets on his belt started buzzing. He picked it up and pushed a button on it, revealing a hologram of another similarly dressed person, only this person was female.

"Progress report," she said. "Did you acquire the stone?"

"Negative," the man replied dryly. "The young man was not cooperative. I tried to take it by force, but his Pikachu threatened me. I could do nothing."

"Blast it," she muttered. "We need a new approach. Continue to investigate. If you can find something that will allow us to acquire the stone, then we can move onwards with our operation."

"Understood," the man nodded.

"Very well, then," the woman nodded. "Good luck, Dulse. Soliera, out." With that, the hologram faded.

"A new approach," Dulse mused. "It's just as the captain predicted: this will not be easy."

"Hey mister!"

"What?" the man jolted on seeing a child looking up at him.

"Cool costume!" the kid said, pulling on his pants.

"What?! N-No! That is not appro - get you hands off of my - no, don't touch that! That is not a toy! Don't you have any sense of - NO, WAIT! DON'T PUSH THAT BUTTON!" Before he knew what was happening, he found himself rocketing into the sky as a jetpack on his back went out of control.

"Whoaaaa!" the kid grinned. "That is so cool!"

Dulse was not amused.


	40. Chapter 4-5: The Akala Expedition

Chapter 4-5: The Akala Expedition

May and her friends stood waiting at the marina. May had her arms folded, tapping her foot slowly. "He should've been back by now," she muttered.

"I wonder what's keeping him," Lillie mused.

"Maybe he bought one too many apples," Hau suggested.

"I could see him buying more than his fair share, yeah," Kukui smirked.

"Ooh, even better: maybe he bought one too many _pounds_ of apples!"

"Maybe he ran into Team Rocket," May muttered.

"And he bought so many apples, that now his arms are full of them."

"I can't imagine anything too horrible could happen in such a short time," Lillie shivered.

"And now he's got apples upon apples, and there are so many apples, he's getting buried alive in them - OW!"

"Huh?!" everyone said, turning to Hau as he rubbed his head gingerly. "What happened?" May asked.

"Hrmph," Hau moaned. "Something clocked me."

"Oops! Sorry. Guess I threw that wrong."

Everyone turned and saw Ash with a hand behind his head, a sheepish grin on his face along with a bag of apples. "What did you just do?" Lillie asked, hands on her hips.

"I tossed an apple at Hau," Ash said. "I was hoping he would catch it, but I threw it wrong."

"Oh!" Hau exclaimed, forgetting his pain when he saw the apple on the ground. "Thanks, Ash!" He took a bite out of it. "Oooooh, yeah! Ripe as an Alolan Exeggutor!" Ash, May, and Kukui laughed at this. Lillie, on the other hand, looked utterly repulsed.

"You would pick food up off the ground and eat it?!" she cried. "That's disgusting!"

"Tastes pretty good to me," Hau grinned after swallowing. He then belched, prompting even more laughter while Lillie looked disgusted.

"All right," Kukui grinned. "We got everything we need, yeah? Let's head off to Akala Island!"

"Let's do it!" Ash and May said together.

" _Pi Pikachu_!" Pikachu chimed in.

* * *

The professor's boat was now sailing at a brisk pace. Ash and May stood on the deck, the wind blowing through their hair. While Ash looked on, May put up her hands in a picture-like fashion.

"This week, on May's Expeditions, our fearless heroes are sailing the great Alolan sea in search of adventure. With a pair of powerful Z-Crystals in their possession, there's no challenge they can't overcome! Or is there? Find out this week, when the exciting 21st season of May's Expedition premieres this Monday at 4 PM!"

Ash chuckled while Pikachu and Popplio stood at the front of the boat. Popplio had her fins spread out, standing on her tail, while Pikachu held her from behind. "Do you think I'm gonna need a season pass to watch it?"

"Of course not!" May winked at him. "You're one of the stars; why should you pay to watch it?" They laughed together, sighing contentedly once their chuckles subsided.

"Ready for the next phase in our Island Challenge?" Ash asked her.

"You bet I am," May nodded, looking to the horizon. The wind caused her hair to billow majestically behind her. Ash stared at her a moment, mesmerized. After a moment, she looked at him, smiling. "What? Captivated by my unsurpassable beauty?" she teased him with a wink.

"Yes," he replied sincerely. "Yes I am." He slowly walked towards her.

May blinked in surprise. "I was only teasing," she said. "I don't think I'm _that_ pretty."

"Well I do," Ash smiled, putting his arms around her waist. She reciprocated by putting her arms around his neck as they stared into each other's eyes. "The thing is, I don't love you because you're beautiful. You're beautiful because I love you."

May's eyes widened, then she smiled. "Since when did you get so charming?" she asked.

"Oh, I read that in a script once," he said, "Back before we were together, I was looking for some inspiration for confessing to you. Nothing ever really stuck, and in the end it didn't matter, but I got a lot of great material to use when I needed something romantic to say."

May giggled at this. "You must've been desperate if you were looking through a script."

"Yeah," Ash nodded, his face falling slightly. "Those were hard times."

Seeing this, May put her hand on his cheek. "But they're behind you now, right?"

"Yeah," he smiled. "They just come back to haunt me sometimes."

"I know how that feels," she agreed. "But it's like you taught me: our past doesn't define who we are."

"And neither does our future."

May blinked in surprise. "What?"

"Have you ever met someone who talks about what they're going to do in the future?" Ash asked. May nodded. "Well, have any of those people ever shown you what they've done so far to get their future?" May blinked in confusion. "Our past doesn't define us, and neither does our future. Only what we do here and now defines who we are."

At this, May's smile returned. "I've never heard it put that way before, but I guess you're right," she said. "So which book did you get that from?"

"None," Ash winked. "I figured it out myself." They chuckled at that.

"Well, in that case," May said, lowering her voice and leaning her head against his, "if what we do here and now defines who we are, then what does that make you?"

Ash smiled and pulled her closer. "It makes me a man in love," he whispered, closing his eyes before pulling her toward him and connecting his lips to hers. At that point, the world around them vanished, as they were overcome with bliss.

"Eugh," Hau moaned from inside the boat, grimacing at their behavior. "Could they get any yuckier?"

"Don't be too happy," Kukui joked. "One of these days, you won't mind so much."

* * *

 **Ah, now that's more like it: ending it on a shippy note, with some corny aesops to boot!**

 **Anyways, the main reason this update ended up long overdue was because of the events in this chapter. I wanted Chapter 4 to be a transitional chapter, where our heroes make the jump from Melemele Island to Akala Island. However, I had a structure in mind where every "chapter" in this story is divided into ten sub-chapters, and fitting the transition into those ten proved awkward. In the end, I decided to whittle the transition down to five sub-chapters to accommodate, and it turned out nicely: not perfect, but still satisfactory overall.**

 **I also wanted this chapter to foreshadow things to come: the dark secrets that hide beneath Alola's beauty, and a new rival for May in Kahili. Kahili doesn't get much characterization in the games. Not even Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon give her much to work with. I'm sure that if she appears in the anime, she'll get more characterization than the games gave her. As for whether that will be a goofy one like they gave Olivia or a more serious one like they gave Gladion, I don't know. But I'm sticking with what I've started just like I have with Gladion (although in this case he's just more of a jerk with a heart of gold).**

 **Speaking of things to come, regular future updates are still up in the air a little. I've started work on the next main chapter, and now that I have this annoying transitional chapter out of the way, I hope to pick up the pace. But I want to get ahead just a little bit before I start posting regularly, so regular updates will be on hold for a bit longer. But most of all, I need to prioritize school over all else so I can graduate this semester, so that's a thing.**

 **That said, these sub-chapters I posted today are pretty unpolished, so I hope they're at least passable. What do you think? Feel free to rate and review, but no laundry-lists of problems and fixes, please!**


End file.
